ADHD/ADD Treatments

The first parent teacher conference I attended in Kindergarten for my daughter Keirstyn was the worst day of my life. Keirstyn’s teacher sat down and told me that my daughter had ADHD characteristics. What was ADHD?Keirstyn's teacher told me that my daughter may have Attention Deficit Disorder and that she professed all the symptoms.

She then recommended that I go see a doctor to get a proper diagnosis. I remember feeling so disappointed and that somehow it was my fault. Maybe I did not spend enough time with her, or maybe I allowed her to watch too much TV.It has been a long road for all of us, especially Keirstyn who is now nine years old.

She still has difficulty with school, but is doing much better with her prescribed medication.I realized that it was important to understand what ADHD/ADD was and what were some of the most common treatments to the disease. Some of the most common treatments are Biofeedback, Behavioral Modification, and Pharmaceutical treatment to name a few.ADHD is an acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, while ADD is also known as Attention Deficit Disorder, wherein hyperactivity is not a factor.

Many times ADHD and ADD are used interchangeably, but most of the time ADD is often diagnosed later in life. According to the article in the Education Digest(2006),ADHD is a disruptive behavior disorder which is characterized by levels of inattention (e.g., difficulty in concentrating on schoolwork), impulsivity (e.

g., frequently interrupting conversations or, activities), and/or over activity (e.g., difficulty remaining seated when required to do so) that are well beyond what is expected and appropriate for a given child's gender and age.Approximately three to seven percent of school-aged children are being treated for the said disorder, with males being three times more likely to be diagnosed than females.There are many theories as to why children have ADHD/ADD, one of which is that the parents are to be blamed for their child’s behaviorial problem.

Another is caused by too much exposure to television or video games. I have once read in a textbook that ADHD/ADD is caused by over stimulation of the baby and the toddlers (57-60).One conception of ADHD/ADD is that it is a relatively new disorder. I often hear people mumbling that they, or we for that matter, did not experience such when we were younger.

This may be due to the fact that special needs of children were not facilitated in public schools not until about seventeen years ago. The first recorded ADHD/ADD behavior was recorded in the early 1800’s, with children being affected in nervous system and by other diseases. In 1840 a German physician wrote “Fidgety Phil” which described hyperactive behavior.George Frederic Still described his observation at the Royal College of Physicians in 1902,  as  being “aggressive, defiant, lawless, overactive, attention impaired, dishonest and accident prone”. Between 1917-1918 following the Encephalitis epidemic, Stills observed that systems were noted to be a brain damage.Later it was found that these children were smarter and so the diagnosis was changed to minimal brain damage.

In 1937 Amphetamines were used as treatment by reducing hyperactive and impulsive behavior. Stimulants became common in the 1960 and Stella Chase deemed the disorder “Hyperactive Child Syndrome”.Biofeedback is performed using electroencephalograph (EEG) which monitors and records electrical activity or brainwaves that controls heart rate and blood pressure.EEG electrodes are placed on the head to detect different brainwaves, and this information is then sent to a recorder.  When the desired brainwave is recorded, a visual or audio response is given to the patient encouraging them to repeat the brainwave. One popular form used on children and adolescents is designed in a video game format, where a dolphin jumps though a hoop when beta waves are present.

According to ADHD.org, “Electroencephalograms can identify four different types of brainwave - alpha, delta, theta and beta. Each of these four has its own characteristic oscillation pattern, and each is associated with a different brain activity”.These brainwaves are electrical output of the brain measured by the EEG during different activities during the day.

Beta waves are characterized as an engaged mind that would show up on an EEG during a conversation or a speech. It is known as the alert or the working stage.