Attention Disorders - Allison Babcock

Attention Disorders
By Allison Babcock

Attention Disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder are considered chronic and affects millions of American children and often continue into adulthood. In studying various attention disorders research has shown that AD/HD has a very strong neurobiological origin, however there have not been any specific causes found. Nevertheless, it is thought that genetics seem to play the largest role in the causes of this particular disorder. When biological influences aren’t involved, research has found that difficulties during pregnancy, prenatal exposure to alcohol and tobacco, premature delivery, significantly low birth weight, excessively high body lead levels, and postnatal injury to the prefrontal area of the brain may increase the chances of a child having an attention disorder.
There are various symptoms that are visible in individuals who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder such as making careless mistakes in schoolwork, difficulty sustaining attention to tasks, not listening to what is being said, difficulty organizing tasks and activities, losing and misplacing belongings, fidgeting and squirming in seat, talking excessively, interrupting or intruding on others, and difficulty playing quietly. These are just a range of symptoms that can be found in individuals with attention disorders, symptoms will often vary depending on the person.
Although many think that there is a specific test available for those who may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder, there is no single test that can diagnosis an individual. However, there are various guidelines to consider when diagnosing a person with this particular disorder such as (1) does the child show a sufficient number of ADHD/ADD symptoms to possibly warrant the diagnosis?; (2) have these symptoms persisted for at least 6 months and are they present at a level that is developmentally inappropriate?; (3) for a child older than 7, was there impairment from symptoms prior to this age? (4) do the symptoms cause impairment in more than one setting (e.g. home and school)?; (5) do the symptoms cause clinically significant impairment in academic, social, or occupational functioning?; and (6) are the symptoms better accounted for by another psychiatric condition? As I mentioned before there are various tests/guidelines that need to be considered when testing an individual for an attention disorder; an individual also needs to go through a physical examination and several interviews to rule out any other possible diagnosis.
Some treatments to be considered are pharmacotherapy, parent training, behavioral programs, cognitive-behavioral training, social skills training, academic remediation, and individual counseling. However the most effectively used in cases with ADHD individuals are pharmacological and behaviorally oriented parent training and school-based approaches. When using the pharmacological approach, stimulant medications such as Methylphenidate, Dextroamphetamine, and a combination of both, are highly recommended. Medications that are considered alternatives if the first choice medications don’t work are Antidepressants, Antihypertensive, and Clonidine. Anticonvulsants and Antipsychotic medications are considered only when the medications listed above aren’t successful.
The other method of treatment that is very important in a child’s treatment is that the parents and teachers come up with a behavior modification plan to help improve the child’s behavior. With this particular treatment, there is a helpful tool that many educators use when helping parents modify a child’s behavior, it’s called the ABC’s: Antecedents (something that set offs or triggers the behaviors), Behaviors (something the child does that parents and teachers want to change), and Consequences (the result after behaviors). The parents and teachers need to know what antecedent triggers the behavior so they can stop the behavior before it occurs. It is also important to set up goals for the child to achieve over time and to take small steps especially with children because behavior modification can take time. Parents and teachers also need to keep in mind that consistency and patience is crucial when working with a child with an attention disorder.
References:
Causes: http://www.chadd.org/Content/CHADD/Understanding/Causes/default.htm
Symptoms: http://www.add-adhd.org/attention_deficits_ADHD.html
Treatment: (1) Behavior Disorders of Children: Chapter 9, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, pg 261. (2) http://www.help4adhd.org/en/treatment/behavioral/WWK7
Evaluation: http://www.helpforadd.com/evaluation-guidelines/