The school keeps calling because teachers are complaining. Your child fidgets constantly, cannot sit still, interrupts others, blurts things out, and interrupts class frequently. Your child is messy, forgetful, loses things all the time, and not matter what you do you are at your wits end. You are just not sure what to do or where to turn. No matter how many times you tell him to stop, it continues. What can you do?
It is possible that your child may have a common disorder call Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The hallmark symptoms of ADHD are inattention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and more. There are primarily three types, primarily inattentive type, primarily hyperactive/impulsive type, or a combined type. This is treatable and research has shown that counseling can help. Call a Thriveworks-Allentown counselor and we can discuss the options.
What Are the symptoms of ADHD?
Is my child is exhibiting normal childlike behaviors or if it is more than that? Is it truly a problem that needs to be addressed? Is the teacher is just overreacting? The truth is, it can be very confusing to differentiate between what is normal and what is not. However, if your child exhibits many of the following behaviors and it interferes with their daily functioning, especially at school, your child may benefit from an evaluation. Here are some of the common symptoms:
- Trouble focusing and/or paying attention
- Does not seem to listen when being spoken too directly
- Makes careless mistakes
- Does not pay close attention to details
- Fails to complete tasks or homework or avoids lengthy tasks or assignments
- Unorganized, forgetful, and loses things frequently
- Often fidgets with hands or feet
- Difficulty sitting still, gets out of seat, runs and climbs on furniture
- Talks excessively, interrupts frequently, and blurts things out
- Seems to be constantly on the go or driven by a motor
- Cannot play quietly
Could I Have ADHD as an Adult?
You can have ADHD as an adult. Many people have struggled throughout their lives with feeling stupid, lazy, and crazy. If you feel as though you have always had many of the same symptoms and it currently impacts your work and relationships, you may want to be evaluated, as well. It is not uncommon for people to get pretty far in life, most commonly suspecting that something was wrong, but not sure how to quite put your finger on it. Usually it’s the people with the predominantly inattentive type that do not find out what is happening until much later because it can be very subtle. If you have had difficulty with organizing your life, managing time, and holding down a job, counseling can help. Call a Thriveworks-Allentown counselor. Let us help you get and stay on track.
What Are the Causes of ADHD?
ADHD is an executive functioning processing disorder or a neurodevelopmental disorder. That means that there are maturational lags in the way that the brain develops. Researchers believe that both genetics and the environment can both play a factor. That is why sometimes medication can help as well as counseling, cognitive behavioral strategies, and parenting techniques. Typically for best results, a combination of therapy and medication is the most useful.
Can Counseling Help: If So, How?
A proper and thorough diagnostic assessment is the most important part for proper treatment. Even if you have many of the symptoms it does not mean that you have ADHD for certain. Other diagnoses such as anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and more have symptoms that overlap or mimic symptoms of ADHD and cause attention problems. If you do have ADHD it is helpful to know exactly which type of ADHD you may have because treatment will focus on teaching skills geared toward those deficits. Counseling for ADHD may include education, parent training, behavior modification, and techniques and strategies to increase self-regulation, organization, or time-management skills. It may also include a referral for medication management. Research has shown that counseling can help by teaching skills to help you modify brain functions.
How Can Thriveworks Allentown Help?
Our counselors at Thriveworks Allentown are trained in assessing and treating ADHD. We will meet with you or your child to conduct an ADHD screening and/or more comprehensive evaluation and assess whether you or your child truly has ADHD or determine if something else better explains the symptoms. We will work hard to determine what is going on to give you the right course of treatment. Call now. We can help. It doesn’t have to stay this way forever.
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