It’s ADHD, Not bad behaviour

Is your child very hyper active? Is he impulsive and does he get agitated often? Is this a recurring phenomenon?

Observe for a month or two and if such behaviour continues then it is best to seek professional psychological help. This is because an increasing number of parents are unable to deal with behaviour that is often wrongly classified as being “naughty” or “clumsy”. These are actually the first signs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) which is on the rise in urban India.

A recent study by Tata Institute of Social Sciences states that the incidence of ADHD is highest when compared to the instances of other intellectual disorders.  Other studies state that the rate of ADHD is as high as 10 per cent in urban India.  

This rise is attributed to dietary factors, increased rates of smoking and alcohol consumption in mothers, problems during conception and childbirth, high domestic lead levels and genetic composition.

‘Identify the early symptoms’

Dr Minhaj Nasirabadi, Apollo Hospitals
The core group to identify these symptoms are school counsellors, teachers and also family members who can help children deal with the problem. Hence it is very important to ensure that school counsellors are trained so that they  pick up the warning traits, report these to parents and recommend that they seek professional help. Some of the common symptoms are lack of attention in tasks (playing or studying), being messy or fidgety, getting easily distracted and a propensity for troublemaking.

Dr Minhaj Nasirabadi, consultant psychiatrist at Apollo Hospitals, explains, “Mild to moderate hyperactivity is passed off as conduct or behavioural problems. Decreased concentration is looked upon as lack of interest in studies. Such assumptions often lead to a child’s genuine issues being neglected.”

Dr Nasirabadi explains, “Parents have to be patient and diligent. They must avoid giving physical punishments to the child. Timeouts or withdrawal of privileges are some of the techniques for streamlining bad behaviour. Similarly, gifts or showering love and praises are used for appreciating good behaviour.”

‘Diet is directly linked to Hyperactivity’

Dr K. Prashant, Yashoda Hospitals
Poor quality of food is directly tied to the impulsive behaviour, agitation, poor focus and hyperactivity. Heavily-processed, artificially-manufactured foods with large amounts of sugar, salt and preservatives have a bad impact on the mental health of a child.

The high content of salt in processed foods leads to hyperactivity. Dr K. Prashant, consultant clinical psychologist at Yashoda Hospitals, explains, “In a session with a parent it was found that whenever the child consumed high levels of soy or salty foods, his hyperactivity increased. It was advised to cut down on both these foods. Reducing salt was advised for all at the dinner table so that the child does not feel singled out. Cutting down on fast food and opting for homemade foods like dal, chawal, wheat rotis and cereals is important. ”

It is important to keep communication open between parents, especially working parents and their children to drive home some of these basic dietary rules.

Busy parents should set aside some “quiet” time with the family for talking to each other. In most ADHD cases it has been found that parents need a lot of support from professional centres.

‘25% continue to suffer with ADHD’

Dr Aftab Ali Khan, Global Hospitals
Sometimes, ADHD is a symptom of underlying disorders such as seizures and metabolic disorders. The rise in number of cases is because we’re able to diagnose it better than what we could a decade ago.

The important point, however, is how it affects the development of the child. Dr Aftab Ali Khan, consultant psychiatrist at Global Hospitals, explains, “The problems start with excessive hyperactivity, seeking attention by doing wrong things,  not participating in group activities, and bad or rude behaviour. In their teens, these children often get into smoking, substance abuse and also engage in anti-social activities. The cases of teen pregnancies are also found in teenage girls of these groups. So, it’s important to identify the problem and control it before the child lands into these multiple abusive problems from where rehabilitation is a long-drawn out process. Statistics state that 25 per cent of them  continue to have ADHD in their adult lives .”