ADHD is a medical condition that stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD can affect children when they are in school, at home or when they are forming friendships. Children with this disorder have little self-control, difficulty in sitting still, and there is a difference in their brain activity and development that affects their ability to pay attention.
ADHD affects the brain and behavior and has no known cure at the present. The only thing medical attendants can do is to treat it through various means so that the child so affected can manage the symptoms. ADHD treatment can range from medication to behavioral intervention. Medication is an important part of treatment, and this may be required sometimes only during school hours, or sometimes even in the evenings and weekends. The most commonly used drugs are those that stimulate the central nervous system, and they work by increasing the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine that can help in the improvement of concentration so that the child receiving this treatment can focus better. At times these stimulants can have side effects, and in such cases, doctors can consider other drugs that increase the levels of norepinephrine so that it helps attention and memory. Most medications can have side effects that range from headaches, trouble sleeping, stomach upsets, irritability, weight loss, and nervousness. Side effects can sometimes be severe and lead to hallucinations, an increase in blood pressure, allergies and suicidal thoughts.
Doctors also can try out various therapies to treat children with ADHD. Among this is a psychotherapy that helps the child to cope with the feelings and problems they have with peers and other authority figures, Psychotherapy can help children to handle relationships better. During this therapy, they explore their behavior patterns and learn how to make the best choice in the future. Behavioral therapy can help the child to monitor their behavior and change it where needed. Training in social skills is another ADHD treatment that is in use. During this training, they learn how to wait their turn, share toys, ask for help, and learn how to deal with the teasing that these children are often the targets of.
Another form of dealing with the problems of ADHD is for parents to join support groups where they can connect with other parents with similar concerns. Joining these groups allows parents to share ideas and strategies that they have used and to get the advantage of learning how other parents are dealing with these children. They can also undergo training to receive parenting skills needed to deal with ADHD.