ADHD BreakthroughsMany parents who would never have even heard the term “autism” a decade ago are now experiencing it firsthand. Autism is a confounding, unpredictable neurodevelopmental disorder that covers a broad spectrum of problems including repetitive behaviors, obsessive compulsions, verbal difficulties, and impaired social skills. Severe cases render children nonverbal, unreachable emotionally, and occasional self-abusive. Milder cases are manifested as Asperger’s syndrome, with children being intelligent, fast learners, but with troubled social interactions.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that autism affects anywhere from 1 in 500 children to 1 in 166 children in the United States. Those figures are at least 10 times the numbers determined by studies conducted during the 1980s. Because of the steadily increasing numbers of autism diagnoses, parents are becoming more and more concerned and educating themselves about what to look for in their children. As a result of the increase in autism diagnoses, there have been important changes in the medical profession, how parents handle medical issues with their children, and how legislation can help.
Autism typically appears in children before they reach 3 years of age. Some doctors have said that the “terrible two’s” ages have now been replaced by a disorder that really is terrible. Although parents are as anxious as they would be with an epidemic, autism is not contagious. But the randomly vulnerable nature of autism can easily make parents become hopeless, because autism strikes young children without any medical explanation. Because autism is on the rise, parents today are much more likely to either have a child with autism, or know someone who has a child with autism.
For years there has been an ongoing debate among parents and politicians about whether the preservative thimerosal might be one of the causes of autism. Thimerosal is a mercury-based ingredient used in some vaccines throughout the U.S. until the year 2003, when it was removed from most vaccines. It is still used in some pediatric flu shots, but the debate continues to rage. Some parents claim that their children were happy, normally functioning babies and toddlers until they had their vaccines – and then, within days or even within hours, they became withdrawn and unreachable.
Although many parents decided to limit the vaccines their children are exposed to, multiple research studies have failed to find any connection between vaccines and autism. As a result, the FDA, CDC, and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development held a news conference earlier this year to reassure parents and reaffirm the fact that vaccines for children do save lives, and there has never been any proven link between vaccines and autism.
The CDC has also launched a public-awareness campaign called “Learn the Signs; Act Early,” to emphasize to parents and caregivers that it is just as important to track the neurological development of a child as it is to track physical and developmental milestones such as sitting up and walking. Pediatricians and parents should monitor a baby’s development in activities such as smiling, reacting to emotions, responding to questions, and using 2- to 4-word phrases. The CDC hopes that the campaign will encourage parents to talk more openly with healthcare providers if they begin to notice what they perceive to be a developmental delay in their child.
According to Nancy Wiseman, the founder of First Signs, Inc., an organization that is focused on early intervention in developmental disorders, the new emphasis being placed on education about autism can potentially help many preschoolers who would otherwise have been delayed in being diagnoses. Learning disabilities, language delays, nonverbal learning disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, vision and hearing problems, metabolic disorders, or mental retardation,” Wiseman says. “Any of these that we can catch in the net now can help that child.”
Today more than any other time in history, people are walking around with symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but have never gone for official testing for one reason or another. Although testing for ADHD is not painful, some people simply do not care to visit the doctor’s office, only to undergo a series of questioning that seem too personal. Unfortunately, that means there are people with ADHD that have never been diagnosed and worse yet, treated.
For years, ADHD was associated only with children but in recent years, experts have identified that adults can also suffer from the effects of ADHD. Because of the growing number of people with this condition and a growing number of people not going to the doctor, experts have devised a type of ADHD self test. Keep in
mind that taking an ADHD self test does not replace a doctor’s confirmed diagnosis but it will provide you with a better idea whether this is likely the problem to all the symptoms. At least with the ADHD self test, you have a good idea if you are even heading in the right direction and from there, you can locate a reputable doctor that works with people that have ADHD.
Remember, whether your child or you have this illness, there is nothing to be ashamed of but it does require some special attention. Typically, once the individual is prescribed the right type of therapy, which is often a combination of medication and psychological support, they will do quite well. With so many available resources, there is no reason today for any person, whether child or adult to “simply deal with” the challenges associated with ADHD. Instead, take time to take the self test to see how many of the signs and symptoms are checked off. The test is quick, easy, and a breeze to score. In fact, the test that doctors use to diagnose ADHD is similar to the ADHD self test, both subjective and relying strongly on observation.
The American Psychiatric Association has a list of 14 points specific to behavior for the test administered in the doctor’s office. For a person to have ADHD, they must have a minimum of eight symptoms. The difference between this and the ADHD self test is that the one you perform at home expands on the initial 14 behavioral checkpoints, going into finer details. Keep in mind that this test is based solely on behavior observation. The reason, ADHD does not present any physical signs that would show up in a blood test or x-ray, although the illness is very real.
One of the greatest challenges of the ADHD self test is that it depends so heavily on the tolerance of the observer. That means that what you might deem hyperactive another person may view merely as an “active” child, and within acceptable ranges. Since you know your child best, the self test is a good tool but when you go to have a doctor provide a firm diagnosis, it is essential that you work with a trained individual who can objectively perform and rate the test. In fact, many medical doctors will recommend that you or your child have the test conducted by two specialists so the results are consistent and fair. Check online for a copy of the ADHD self test if you have suspicion and if the results come out like you think, you have a great opportunity for a fresh start in life.
For more about ADHD, to include diagnosis, natural and alternative treatments, and discussions, See http://www.ADDAtoZ.com.
Are you worried, ashamed, embarrassed about the possibility that you may be suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder? If so, do not despair. You are not unique. Most people feel the same.
As you may already know, children aren’t the only ones that suffer from an attention deficit disorder; there are several very intelligent adults that are currently struggling with adult Attention Deficit Disorder as well. Even though this is nothing to be ashamed of, it is vital that you seek out treatment and help, because these two things can improve the quality of your life significantly.
Most of the sufferers have a tendency of trying to hide their condition, and because of that, over time they begin to experience low levels of self-confidence and they learn that there really is a little meaning in all of their lives. In fact, this makes the situation worse since lack of confidence would require more attention than usual. This brings about the spiral effect. In a situation where you have taken all of the active steps to learn more about the adult ADD and everything that it entails, and searched for a professional opinion, then you should find the following five ways to counter adult attention deficit disorder will be very useful for you. However, even before you apply these 5 methods, you will need to consider a fundamental issue here.
In life, people have all kinds of issues ranging from emotional issues like anger, etc to hatred for loved ones. In between, there are all kinds of issues: I don’t like my nose, my colour, my hair, my job, my boss, sleeping disorder, fear, worry, guilt, etc. etc.
Although this is not the direct mandate of this article, it is critical that we understand how life works and what is the design of human
beings. Whatever we resist, it will persist. The more you try to change things, the more they will remain the same. Hence, the first step
to deal with any issue is to stop resisting the issue. If you will continue to run away from the issue, or dislike it, or hate it, the more it will show up in your life.
The only way to deal with any issue is to embrace it. When you embrace, you don’t accept. You just let it be. You take away the significance from the issue. You say to yourself: I am OK if this issue continues in my life. Sooner rather than later, whatever you allow to be in your life, begins to disappear. This is the first and crucial step before you apply any of the following methods.To be continue please click:-Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Both in Children
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Attention deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder seen in children and persists until adulthood. As the name suggests, ADHD has two primary conditions viz. inattention and hyperactivity. The signs and symptoms of ADHD are seen in children from their infancy. ADHD is caused by failure in co-ordination of the reticular activating system. The reticular activating system helps co-ordinate the activating system of the human body. Let us discuss some major symptoms of ADHD and then look at the herbal supplements for anxiety, as anxiety is one of the major symptoms of ADHD.
ADHD Symptoms
The child pays less attention to the work alloted to him in school or in some other activity.
He does not listen to parents and teachers.
The child faces difficulty in following the instructions given by teachers and parents.
The child easily gets abstracted and diverted from the work he is doing. Often he tends to forget things.
He/she talks continuously and is restless all the time.
Usually, in ADHD, girls are inattentive and boys are hyperactive.
Herbal Remedies for ADHD
Following are the ADHD herbal remedies; Let us go through them one by one.
Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo Biloba is one of the smart drugs used to cure ADHD effectively by optimizing the brain functions. It is commonly recommended by doctors to improve the intellectual capacity of the brain. Ginkgo helps dilate the blood vessels and increases blood circulation in the body. It helps in functioning of neurotransmitters and improve the neural cell metabolism.
Brahmi
Brahmi, also known as bacopa, is an effective herb used to improve mental functions like memory span, concentration ability and mental quotient. Brahmi is one of the classic herbal supplements for anxiety which helps in invigorating the mind and also relaxes the mind to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Scutellaria Lateriflora (Skullcap)
Scutellaria Lateriflora is a medicinal herb native to North America. The leaves of the skullcap plant are used for medicinal purposes. Skullcap is helpful in relaxing the mind and a tonic to treat anxiety, convulsions and nervous tensions. Skullcap acts as a sedative and helps in soothing the nervous system. It relaxes the muscles along with the nervous system and ensures normal functioning of the body.
Chamomile
Chamomile is another effective herb used to treat ADHD. This herb is an effective natural treatment for the fidgeting caused due to ADHD. Also, Chamomile helps relax the nervous system and promotes a calm mind. Apart from the natural supplements, Chamomile tea has a good effect on the patient suffering from ADHD. Overwork and fatigue is reduced to a great extent with Chamomile.
Green Oats
Green oats is a home remedy that is safe and beneficial for children suffering from ADHD. Like other herbal medicines mentioned above, green oats help in soothing and relaxing the nervous system.
Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis)
Schisandra is another brain tonic that helps in increasing the brain capacity. Schisandra helps in normal functioning of the body, increases stamina and improves the mental functions. This herbal remedy increases the nervous response and meliorates the mental clarity. Schisandra is a stimulant used to improve the forgetfulness and reduce irritability.
Centella Asiatica (Gotu cola)
Gotu cola is one of the ADHD herbal remedies used to improve the mental clarity, brain functioning and mood. This is an effective herb that improves the cerebral blood circulation along with the overall blood circulation of the body.
Valerian
The herbal remedies for ADHD treatment includes yet another medicinal herb called Valerian. The restlessness and anxiety in ADHD is reduced to a great extent due to Valerian. The roots of the Valerian plant have the medicinal property and the juice of this plant is used in tinctures, capsules and tablets that are used to treat ADHD.
These are the ADHD herbal remedies that are used to effectively treat ADHD. Herbal remedies for ADHD in children are quite similar to the herbal remedies for adult ADHD. Although, the above herbal remedies for ADHD are home treatments, it is recommended to consult a doctor before taking any of them. There are many herbal supplements for anxiety available in the market, but make sure to know whether your child is allergic to any one of the herbs.
Autism is a complex neurological development disorder involving impaired communication ability and associated behavioral disabilities. This disorder affects the social, intellectual and motor functioning, as well as the inability to use the sensory senses effectively, which in turn affects the behavior as a whole. In short, this devastating condition affects the total functioning of a child. It is believed that autism occurs due to genetic mutations, but it is still not clear how this happens. Autistic behavior includes repetition of particular body movements, resistance to changes in any pattern, excessive attachment to either people or objects and aggressiveness or regressiveness in personal or social interactions.
Autism symptoms usually begin to appear during the first three years of life, even though some children may be affected from birth. Boys are more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls. Autism has nothing to do with ethnic or social backgrounds or parenting styles. Autism is a spectrum disorder, which means that every individual does not carry the same symptoms and levels of autism. It varies from child to child.
Characteristics of Autism
Autism is diagnosed after the medical practitioner observes the child’s behavior and development. Some common indicators include:
Behavioral Patterns: Repetitive and complete preoccupation with bodily movements like spinning objects, walking, finger flicking, resistance to change in a routine, etc, high sensitivity to sensory stimuli such as touch, taste, noise or light. Avoids eye contact and at times, responds inappropriately, either with words or noises. Sometimes, the child will have difficulty in sleeping and controlling emotions, which leads to aggressive behavior towards self and others.
Communication Disabilities: Social interactions are hampered due to poorly developed speech patterns and little understanding about the purpose of language. The child is socially aloof and as time passes, tends to withdraw from most social environments.
Underdeveloped Motor Skills: Resistance to learning and interactive play, even among their own age group is common. They develop minimal imitative skills and have imaginations that they find difficult to express.
Early Symptoms of Autism
As autistic symptoms develop between 3 to 10 years, a watchful eye for a few characteristics, will go a long way in early diagnosis. However, a doctor would be the best person to determine and distinguish autistic symptoms from other behavioral disorders.
Delayed or poor speech and responses.
Feeding difficulties; poor chewing or suckling reflexes.
Extreme variations in emotional behavior.
Unconcerned and unsure about the surrounding environment.
Sudden changes from normal to regressive behaviors.
Types of Autism
Autism is a spectrum disorder, characterized by limited social and communication skills. The following are the five types of autism as defined by the Autism Society of America, that can help in the diagnosis of autism:
Asperger’s Syndrome: This type of disorder is characterized by deficiencies in social interaction and difficulties in accepting any changes in daily routine. Language skills are less impaired as compared to other disorders. A child suffering from this type of autism is less sensitive to pain, but cannot handle sudden exposure to loud noise or bright lights. Since they have average or above average intelligence, he/she is capable of doing well academically.
Autistic Disorder: This type is also known as true autism or childhood autism, as it mostly develops in the initial three years of life. In most cases, the affected child lacks speaking abilities and relies only on non-verbal communication, which results in extreme social withdrawal and aloofness. The child shows complete lack of affection and willingness to establish communication.
Pervasive Developmental Disorder: This type includes different types of disorders and not a specific one. The severity could range from mild to extreme disability and is generally diagnosed within the first 5 years of age. Effective verbal and non-verbal skills are limited, resulting in poor communication.
Childhood Disintegrative Disorder: The symptoms of this disorder are exhibited when a child is between 3 to 4 years of age, after the initial, normal development till the age of two. Then there is sudden regression in communication, language, social and motor skills. There is a loss of all previously acquired skills and the child begins to withdraw from all social surroundings.
Rett Syndrome: This type of pervasive developmental disorder, often mistaken for autism, is relatively rare and primarily affects women or the girl child and is exhibited by poor head size growth. Rett syndrome is caused by a mutation in the sequence of a single gene. Loss of muscle control, resulting in problems in walking and eye movement, is the first visible sign of this disorder. Motor skills are severely hampered and interfere with every body movement, leading to the development of stereotyped and repetitive hand and leg movements.
Autism Treatments
As of today, autism has no cure and since severity of autism varies from individual to individual, there is no one treatment that fits all. Following are the different methods of treatment:
Medication: Drugs can only help in controlling the symptoms of autism. Vitamins, nutrient supplements, antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs have shown positive results in treating cases of autism.
Communication Therapy: This therapy helps to initiate language and non verbal development. Speech therapy and social interaction is often used to help the affected person to overcome emotional barriers of communication. Social stories are used to help the autistic person to understand events and other’s reactions, feelings, reasoning and viewpoint.
Behavior Therapy: This therapy helps to modify repetitive, inappropriate and aggressive behavior. It is done to help the autistic person acquire the skills required to function in any surrounding. Various methods are used, either together or separately, for treatment. Applied behavior analysis is a theory based on the belief that breaking down a skill into several steps and then teaching the autistic child, rewarding him each time he is able to perform a step will help the autistic child to learn by imitation and incentive. Sensory integration therapy focuses on sensory stimulation through exposure to different tastes, sounds or textures. Another method used is play therapy, where emotional development is focused on. It usually involves a role play between an adult and a child and seeks to expand social skills and social interaction.
Dealing with a child diagnosed with autism is an overwhelming experience, that brings with it insecurities and uncertainties for both, the parent and the child. Although not curable, early diagnosis and intervention can considerably help the child with autism to function better and improve his/her life.
Have you seen the hit TV series ‘Fraser’? The plot of this series revolved around a psychologist who had a radio show. In this show, people called in, and he helped them out. It was this show that ignited the flame of psychology in my mind. Being a creature of research and curiosity, I started reading up material on it, and saw that this field, indeed, has enormous scope. Lets check out the many psychology jobs with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Read more on
Psychologist Job Description
Psychology Careers with a Bachelor’s Degree
Before I get into the many jobs that are open to one with a psychology bachelor’s degree and the career information on psychology, I need to you to know, that psychology is a science that has no definite definition. It merely equips one with knowledge about the working of the human mind. How one puts that knowledge to use, is a personal choice. The salary range for jobs associated with psychology does not depend on the degree per se, but on how one applies the knowledge they have gained in the different fields in psychology. Read more on psychologist salary range.
Personal Counselor: This is one of the most well known and common jobs with a psychology degree. It basically requires the psychologist to be a confidante to his patients and help them by hearing out their problems and giving them solutions.
Child Counselor: Children are not as simple as they may seem. With the times changing rapidly and the fast paced changes in general life styles, children also face quite a few psychological issues that parents fail to understand. A child psychologist helps understand the ordeal that the child is undergoing by understanding the psychology of children and treats it.
Corporate Counselor: A corporate counselor is often the in-house counselor of a certain organization. This counselor works as a personal counselor for the employees of the organization. Hence, helping them avoid personal problems which hinder productivity is his key responsibility.
Personnel Administrator: A personnel administrator is the one who assists the Human Resource department in handling employee recruitment, appreciations, appraisals and performance incentives. This individual needs to understand the employees and their psyches.
Public Relations Officer: A public relations officer is the face of an organizations. A PRO is the representative of the organization for the external parties. This job with a degree in psychology requires a person to be well-versed with the human psyche and know how to use it to the company’s advantage.
Psychiatric Assistant: This is a slightly medical related psychology job with a bachelors degree. A psychiatric assistant helps the psychiatrist in supervision and routine testing.
Public Statistician: A public statistician is one who interprets the data collected on health and other lifestyle related issues. They help understand and derive results out of surveys, analysis, checks, etc. They also help forecast the effects of the prevailing circumstances.
Journalist: It would be needless to remind that journalist is one of the best jobs taken up by some one with a psychology degree. A journalist not only needs to understand a the events, but the impact of those events on the people. Accordingly the journalist can bring more “sense” in the news.
Columnist: Any one who has watched Sex And The City would know that the job of a columnist requires one to understand people and the way they think. This way a columnist can make the column more appealing to the reader, as well as help the readers out with their problems.
Radio Counselor: My first paragraph is reason enough for anyone to know why the job of a radio counselor is brilliant for someone with a bachelor’s degree. A psychologist can be of great help to people with the help of his ‘live’ solutions. You could also read on psychology of communication and forensic psychology.
A psychologist has an ability to understand a person better than their own kin. In my opinion, a psychologist can actually change the world. It is a noble and respectable career option and thus psychology jobs with a bachelor’s degree is worth taking up. This is where I sign off. Take care!
Reflexology is in essence, touch therapy, and that is one of the reasons it is so effective in the healing process. Thanks to technology, the human touch has become obscured behind machines created to make our jobs “easier”. If you think about it, doctors rely on machines to diagnosis illness, not by the hands. People have forgotten how important a hug really is to the human body and the mind. For example, when you are feeling down and someone gives you a hug, expected or not, you immediately feel better.
This occurs because of the exchange of human energies. In fact, according to a study that was done in an orphanage in London where the mortality rate of babies was very high, people were paid to come into the orphanage and to play with an experimental group of babies. The mortality rate remained the same for the babies in the control group but the babies who were played with every day showed a significantly higher survival rate.
I have to say that the healing power of touch has never been so important as it is today. Hyperactivity, Attention Deficit Disorder and Depression are the most common childhood ailments among children today. Moreover, prescriptions for anti-depressants for kids are commonplace.
These issues have always existed. What did our ancestors do when they felt depressed or hyper? I will tell you one thing, it wasn’t at all what we do today. In our society today, one that relies heavily on chemically laden prescription drugs, psychotherapy and surgical procedures to “heal” the sick, there has never been a better time to look into treatment alternatives. If you have children with behavioral problems, or children that tend to catch a new cold each time the wind blows, it may be time for you to look at reflexology as an alternative or supplemental treatment.
All of us have the gift of healing in our hands; it is all in how you use it. You instinctively use your hands to heal. Parents, what happens when your child bangs his head against something, you instinctively put your hand on his or her head right? You are transmitting healing energy without even knowing it. Reflexology is an ancient form of healing which stimulates energy points in the feet, hands and body. It is one modality that effectively transmits healing energy and is the perfect tool for developing attachment between an infant and a parent.
A loving touch is vitally necessary to develop the bond between an infant and their parents. It is a form of communication that is felt by the heart and cannot be replaced any other way. Because you make him feel secure with your touch, the child learns to trust you and develops an emotional tie to you. Reflexology can be a way to not only develop that bond, but a way to transmit healing energy and promote wellness in your child. The techniques are rather simple and have extraordinary benefits. Some of these benefits include ear infections, teething pain, colic, allergies, constipation and tummy problems.
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I’m 17 and I am pretty convinced I have it but I want to hear about what ADD people usually do as a result of their condition, so maybe I will see my psychiatrist about it.
Attention Deficit Disorder, commonly referred to as ADD, is sometimes thought to be an epidemic among today’s children. Actually only occurring in 3% to 5% of children, ADD can be a difficult disorder for children and parents to deal with.
For years, physicians and specialists have been unable to supply an exact cause of ADD – only that it is a disorder that is represented by symptoms of inattention, impulsive behavior, and sometimes hyperactivity. However, in the last few years, more doctors are looking to neurological issues as being a possible cause. More information on this is provided in ebook 2 of “Attention Deficit Disorder Explained – From Child to Adult”.
The primary misconception regarding ADD is that it does not actually exist; it is the result of parents wanting to drug their children instead of dealing with them. The truth is, however, that a child with ADD exhibits much more than common childhood activeness. With ADD, the key is “excessive” behavior – excessive inattention, excessive impulsiveness, and excessive hyperactivity. Although most children will display a small amount of each of these characteristics, when they become extreme and hamper everyday tasks, they become a problem. This is where treatment becomes necessary for the child to perform common responsibilities, such as schoolwork, without the distractions of ADD.
From a child’s point of view, ADD can be very frustrating. Although they want to be good and control themselves, they are easily pulled off task by every little noise and interruption. As parents, you may perceive the environment as being quiet and calm; however, to a child suffering from ADD, they will hear cars drive by, dogs bark, and neighbors playing in their yards, to the point of absolute disruption. While we may be able to tune these things out unconsciously, ADD creates a funnel, sending these distractions straight to your child.
The important thing in dealing with ADD is to acknowledge your child’s behavior is not always a conscious decision. At times, they will bolt from their seat or become disorderly; however, this is the ADD acting, not your child. They will need you to be understanding and loving, instead of harsh and judgmental. It is our responsibility as parents to guide our children through life; you can not guide if you sit on a pedestal, constantly reprimanding those beneath you. To ensure your child grows with good self-esteem and a positive self-image, you should refrain from being overly negative and callous. We have all heard the saying, “love the sinner, hate the sin.” Religion aside, this should be the frame of mind in dealing with a child with ADD – the child needs your love, the actions caused from ADD are the problem.
Sarah is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Cohn’s Disease.
For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.
my mom put me on pills awhile back then took me off becuz she said they made me psycho,they did help me focus though so what can i do to get better concentration without pills any exercises diets food vitamins?