What is ADHD ?
The attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder of neurobiological origin that begins in childhood and affects between 3-7% of school-age children in Malaga.
Many children and adolescents with ADHD have difficulties in regulating their behaviour and conforming to the norms expected for their age and, as a consequence, have difficulties in adapting in their family and school environment and in their relationships with their peers.
They often underperform and may exhibit emotional and behavioural disturbances.
Symptoms of ADHD
The symptoms of ADHD fall into three categories: hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. However, the children with ADHD may manifest with involvement in only one of the areas, but it must always significantly interfere with their functionality.
Hyperactivity
The hyperactivity is manifested by excessive movement, motor and/or cognitive activity, in situations where it is inappropriate to do so. These children show high motor activity in different settings, having great difficulty in remaining still when situations require it, both in structured contexts (the classroom or the table at mealtimes) and in unstructured ones (playground time).
Hyperactivity in adolescents is often less evident, with an internal sense of restlessness predominating, trying to do several things at once and moving from one activity to another without completing any of them.
Inattention
Another of the manifestations of ADHD is the inattention refers to difficulties in sustaining attention over a period of time, both in academic, family and social tasks. Children find it difficult to prioritise tasks, persist to completion and avoid activities that involve sustained mental effort. They tend to switch between tasks without ever finishing any of them. They often seem not to listen, do not follow orders or instructions and have difficulties in organising tasks and activities with a tendency to forget and lose things frequently. They tend to be easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli.
In social situations, inattention is often manifested by frequent changes of conversation, with difficulties in following rules or details in activities and/or games. At the developmental level, inattention most frequently appears during school, when more complex cognitive activity is required, and often persists into adolescence and adulthood.
Impulsivity
Within the ADHD the impulsivity is manifested by impatience, difficulty in postponing answers and waiting for turns, often interrupting others. Children often give hasty answers before questions have been completed. During the early years, impulsivity makes the child appear to be "stimulus controlled" so that they have a tendency to touch everything. At school age, they constantly interrupt others and have difficulty waiting their turn. The impulsivity in adolescence leads to more conflict with adults and a tendency to engage in more risky behaviours (substance abuse, early sexual activity and traffic accidents). Hence the importance of early diagnosis for a good development in adolescence.
Subtypes of ADHD
There are currently different clinical forms associated with types of ADHD which must be well differentiated, in order to carry out the most appropriate treatment.
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type (ADHD-C)in which criteria of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity appear.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Inattentive Type (ADHD-I)), in which attention difficulties predominate.
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hyperactive-impulsive type (ADHD-HI). Prevalence of hyperactivity and impulsivity..
How to treat ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
The treatment of children with ADHD should always be multidisciplinary, with psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions and support at school level. At Cips Malaga we have a unit specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, composed of a team of doctors and therapists with solid experience in the management of this pathology, our team of psychiatrists and psychologists will help you at all times.
Pharmacological treatment, which are safe drugs that have proven long-term efficacy, must always be prescribed and indicated by a specialist doctor, preferably a child psychiatrist.
Psychological intervention should be carried out with both the patient and the family environment, creating a personalised treatment plan according to the individual needs and conditions of each patient.
If you need us to assess the case of your child or relative, you can consult with our team of medical specialists at our clinical centre Cips Malaga:
- Dr. Marina Romero González. ( Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist )
- Maria Condor Fernandez ( Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychology )
- Helena García Lopez ( Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychology )
- Gracia Perez-Arroyo Serrano ( Adult and Child Psychology )
