In the United States an average of 11% of the children between ages 4 and 17 are diagnosed with the medical disorder called ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). ADHD is a common behavioral disorder that affects school aged children. This percentage has increased from 7.8% in 2003. With this disorder increasing 3% per year, some begin to wonder if it is the children that are needing to be “fixed” or is it the way we teach our children. Are there alternatives to helping children with their focus other the medication? Medicating children due to ADHD is not always the answer and often alters the child’s personality. There are alternate teaching methods available for students before having them medicated. Teachers can perform these teaching methods to help children focus better in school and not get bored. Parents can help by also delivering these methods at home.
Kids with ADHD may have trouble with focus, acting without thinking, hyperactivity and troubles knowing what is expected of them because they have a difficult time sitting and paying attention, so focusing on something is very difficult. The symptoms that they experience typically happen over a long period of time and do not just come in go like with children that just may be excited or anxious about something.
There are no test that can diagnose ADHD. In order to evaluate the child a Dr. will meet with the child in the office as well as getting evaluations from the schools and from home to be sure that there are not issues at home that are causing the behaviors. To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child must display behaviors from one of the three subtypes before age 12, these behaviors must be more severe than in other kids the same age, the behaviors must last for at least 6 months, and the behaviors must happen in and negatively affect at least two areas of a child's life (such as school, home, childcare settings, or friendships) (kidshealth.org)
One of the first treatment plans that...