Dr. Tang discusses ADHD

Julian Tang, MDAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health challenges in the United States. Approximately 8% of children between the ages of 6 to 17 yrs. old have been diagnosed with ADHD with boys being twice as likely as girls to have ADHD.Does my kid have ADHD?This is one of the most common questions we get from parents and caregivers and the answer is not that straightforward. Children already have a wide presentation of temperaments, levels of physical activity, and focus levels. The brain also continuously develops and matures over time which affects a child ’s ability to stay on task and focus. My usual expectation that is a child’s focus and impulsivity should start to show some improvement around 4 to 5 years of life.The main aspect I look for regarding ADHD is if a child ’s focus and hyperactivity negatively impacts their quality of life in both social interactions and academic activities. If I have a patient that might have focus issues but is thriving with peer relationships and has self confidence in their academic abilities, then I tend monitor how those patie nts do over time. If a child only has behavioral challenges at home or only in school, then I tend to look at that setting. If it is only at home, then I would delve into family dynamics and see if there are household stressors. Children when under stress will often react with inattention and overac tivity. If it’s only at school and only with...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Source Type: news