Disorders Linked to ADHD
The characteristics of ADHD are often similar to the characteristics of other disorders. This means that disorders that accompany ADHD can often lead to an ADHD misdiagnosis. Does your child really have ADD/ADHD or is there something else going on that is being overlooked?
Approximately, three ADHD/ADD children in ten develop other disorders in addition to their ADHD as they develop. As a matter of fact, your child may not even have adhd.
During the preschool period, the disorder can impede the child's ability to understand certain words, notions, and sounds and he or she may experience difficulty when trying to convey to another the feelings, sentiments or emotions that he or she is experiencing.
Later in childhood, the characteristics of ADHD may cause problems with reading or writing, doing arithmetic or basic calculations and school. Dyslexia, which refers to a common reading disorder may also appear. These issues tend to affect a relative small number of school children, though.
Tourette's syndrome
A small percentage of individuals suffering ADHD also suffer from Tourette's Syndrome, a neurological disorder with symptoms that include nervous tic and mannerisms, including eye blinks and twitches of the face or grimaces. The throats of the patients may produce certain sounds, such as snorts or sniffs of when saying certain words. The behavior can usually be controlled through medication yet it is important to point out that Tourette can occur with ADHD or lead to a ADHD misdiagnosis.
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
About 33% to 50% of children suffering from ADHD also experience this type of disorder, and most of them are actually boys. This disorder refers to the state of being defiant, being non compliant with certain things, becoming belligerent and aggressive at times when this is not necessary. The syndrome is also characterized by the fact that children will not obey and will constantly argue with adults.
ODD is often misdiagnosed as ADHD because many of the symptoms are the same. However, ODD can often be caused by a hypersensitivity to lower blood sugar levels. Try giving your child peanut butter and raisins. This simple natural treatment provided incredible benefit for our son.
Conduct Disorder
Almost four out of ten children having ADHD may develop a secondary disorder called Conduct Disorder or CD, referring to a serious pattern of behavior that is antisocial. The children have been known to lie, steal, fight with others and can also get into trouble or even worse, with the.
These children do not care about basic rights, rules in school or laws that every individual in a society must conform to. These children are prone to committing thefts, destroying properties, and breaking into homes.
They may also carry weapons and will not refrain from using them. Because of this, it is vital to get medical help.
Developing Anxiety and Depression
For some children suffering from ADD, anxiety or depression may occur. If the symptoms are recognized at an early stage and treated, then the child can quickly improve. If a child is showing signs of depression, seek medical help immediately. Dietary changes can often provide a great improvement in brain chemistry.
Depression can be a serious problem. However, if the symptoms are mild, natural treatments can be very effective. In addition to improving their diet, our family has found that taking a broad based multi-vitamin is extremely helpful.
We have found Total Balance from Xtend-Life to improve mood and help with concentration. The result has been much improved cooperation from the children, as well as greatly reduced anger outbursts from both kids and parents.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar and ADHD often have similar symptoms, making it easy for there to be an ADHD misdiagnosis. Because the characteristics of ADHD are so similar to bipolar disorder, differentiating between the two in the childhood stages is difficult. However misdiagnosing bipolar as ADHD can create serious problems in that stimulant medication can amplify the mood swings that are characteristic of bipolar disorder.
Symptoms which are common to ADHD and bipolar disorder such as energetic behavior, reduced need for sleep, and a fun loving outgoing attitude are only temporary for the bipolar individual. Eventually the mood will change as depression sets in.
The Effective Treatment for ADHD
We all want a solution for these children. However, since no child is the same, the treatment must vary from case to case. Confusing the characteristics of ADHD with these other disorders will create problems that you don't want to face. An ADHD Specialist will be able to give an accurate diagnosis as to what is happening with your child and what the best treatment is.