Posts
ADD or ADHD is term that is loosely used in Malaysia. Very often, learners are not even diagnosed but simply classified as having ADD or ADHD. The diagnosis of ADD and ADHD is called " differential diagnosis" and the diagnosis can ONLY be made by a psychiatrist.
Psychologists, teachers, and others cannot diagnose attention deficit with or without hyperactivity. The typical intervention protocol for ADHD is medication. The administration of medication has to be monitored closely by the parents/ caregivers and psychiatrist. Any change in height or weight, drastic behaviour changes observed must be reported to the psychiatrist so that the dosage can be modified.
Very often, parents find their children not responding to the treatment and so, they stop the medication without the permission of the psychiatrist. This is wrong. While I have my own views about medicating children, I will still emphasise the importance of NOT simply stopping medication without the knowledge of the attending Psychiatrist.
Some parents feel that they prefer alternative approaches to managing hyperactivity in their children and that is fine as long as you can commit to these alternative approaches and the child is progressing well. For example, some parents find that engaging the children is active sports helps control the hyperactivity. That is fine but don't expect it to work if you can only commit ONE evening a week to the sport!! The child with ADHD requires you to commit daily!! If you cannot, then, you are best of going the medication route!
At school, the learner will struggle with coping within a mainstream system. The demands of having to sit still for lesson after lesson for 2-3 hours is simply something a learner with ADHD cannot cope with. If you choose the alternative approach, then, you must consider placing the child in an alternative environment where movement and mobility is less restrictive. There is no choice!
Please understand that you must cater to the child not the child cater to you!
Psychologists, teachers, and others cannot diagnose attention deficit with or without hyperactivity. The typical intervention protocol for ADHD is medication. The administration of medication has to be monitored closely by the parents/ caregivers and psychiatrist. Any change in height or weight, drastic behaviour changes observed must be reported to the psychiatrist so that the dosage can be modified.
Very often, parents find their children not responding to the treatment and so, they stop the medication without the permission of the psychiatrist. This is wrong. While I have my own views about medicating children, I will still emphasise the importance of NOT simply stopping medication without the knowledge of the attending Psychiatrist.
Some parents feel that they prefer alternative approaches to managing hyperactivity in their children and that is fine as long as you can commit to these alternative approaches and the child is progressing well. For example, some parents find that engaging the children is active sports helps control the hyperactivity. That is fine but don't expect it to work if you can only commit ONE evening a week to the sport!! The child with ADHD requires you to commit daily!! If you cannot, then, you are best of going the medication route!
At school, the learner will struggle with coping within a mainstream system. The demands of having to sit still for lesson after lesson for 2-3 hours is simply something a learner with ADHD cannot cope with. If you choose the alternative approach, then, you must consider placing the child in an alternative environment where movement and mobility is less restrictive. There is no choice!
Please understand that you must cater to the child not the child cater to you!
0 Comments