The VII European ADHD Awareness Week is celebrated from October 20 to 26. It is estimated that 5% of the child and adolescent population suffers from this disorder, which is equivalent to one or two children per classroom. It is a disorder of neurological origin, caused by an imbalance between two brain neurotransmitters: noradrenaline and dopamine, which affect the brain areas responsible for self-control and the inhibition of inappropriate behavior.
ADHD causes hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention in children. These symptoms, which usually appear before the age of 7, are not always present together nor do they manifest in all environments. They can change and decrease over time, but it is estimated that 80% of children will continue to experience problems in adolescence and between 30-65% in adulthood.
Warning Signs
Up to five years of age, children often show early motor development: they start walking very early and parents describe them as ‘restless children’.
At school age, children may have learning problems. In addition, some cases present school failures. This is the stage where most ADHD cases are detected.
Significant changes occur in adolescence: hyperactivity decreases and even turns into restlessness, but in more than 80% of young people, attention and impulsivity problems persist.
Multidisciplinary Treatment
Combined treatment yields the best results. This involves the inclusion of parents, teachers, doctors, and psychologists at all levels of therapy. At ISEP, we work to train professionals capable of effectively addressing these cases, adapting care to the individual characteristics of each child.
Psychological therapy involves both family and individual therapy (which reduces family stress generated by the child’s disorder), psychoeducation, and parent training to work at home with the child, in addition to school support.
Behavioral psychotherapy is the most effective: children are taught to control themselves, to monitor inappropriate activities, to understand how their behaviors bother others and reduce them, they are trained in social skills, and learn techniques to improve their self-esteem. The therapist must add to these objectives the treatment of other problems that may be associated with ADHD, such as depression or anxiety.
Parents are taught techniques to reconcile family life with the disorder and are trained in behavior management. They need to know what ADHD is, understand it, and eliminate feelings of frustration, sadness, guilt, stress… that this situation generates for them.
They must learn to set limits for their child, not allow public displays from the child, define rules with consequences for not following them and rewards if they are followed correctly, help the child complete specific tasks, establish stable routines, eliminate distractions, motivate the child, and increase discipline.
Only with adequate and comprehensive treatment can we improve the quality of life of children with ADHD.