ADHD and occupational therapy
Rabeya Ferdous Clinical Occupational Therapist, Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralyzed (CRP)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder. Health experts say that ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is the most common behavioral disorder that starts during childhood. However, it does not only affect children - people of all ages can suffer from ADHD. Psychiatrists say ADHD is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder.
An individual with ADHD finds it much more difficult to focus on something without being distracted. He has greater difficulty in controlling what he is doing or saying and is less able to control how much physical activity is appropriate for a particular situation compared to somebody without ADHD. In other words, a person with ADHD is much more impulsive and restless.
Health care professionals may use any of the following terms when describing a child (or an older person) who is overactive and has difficulty concentrating - attention deficit, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, hyperkinetic disorder, hyperactivity.
There is no exact figure in Bangladesh about the total number of ADHD children in Bangladesh.
Number of children 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 5.9 million
Percent of children 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 9.5%
Percent of boys 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 13.5%
Percent of girls 3-17 years of age ever diagnosed with ADHD: 5.4% (Centre for Disease control and prevention, 29 April 2015)
Symptoms of ADHD
There are three groups of symptoms:
Inattention
Hyperactivity
Impulsivity
Get the facts on all of them, and learn examples of behaviors that can come with each.
Inattention
You might not notice it until a child goes to school. In adults, it may be easier to notice at work or in social situations.
The person might procrastinate, not complete tasks like homework or chores, or frequently move from one uncompleted activity to another.
They might also:
Be disorganized
Lack focus
Have a hard time paying attention to details and a tendency to make careless mistakes. Their work might be messy and seem careless.
Have trouble staying on topic while talking, not listening to others, and not following social rules
Be forgetful about daily activities (for example, missing appointments, forgetting to bring lunch)
Be easily distracted by things like trivial noises or events that are usually ignored by others.
Hyperactivity
It may vary with age. You might be able to notice it in preschoolers. ADHD symptoms nearly always show up before middle school.
Kids with hyperactivity may:
Fidget and squirm when seated.
Get up frequently to walk or run around.
Run or climb a lot when its not appropriate. (In teens this may seem like restlessness.)
Have trouble playing quietly or doing quiet hobbies
Always be on the go
Talk excessively
Toddlers and preschoolers with ADHD tend to be constantly in motion, jumping on furniture and having trouble participating in group activities that call for them to sit still. For instance, they may have a hard time listening to a story.
School-age children have similar habits, but you may notice those less often. They are unable to stay seated, squirm a lot, fidget, or talk a lot.
Hyperactivity can show up as feelings of restlessness in teens and adults. They may also have a hard time doing quiet activities where you sit still.
Impulsivity
Symptoms of this include:
Impatience
Having a hard time waiting to talk or react
Have a hard time waiting for their turn.
Blurt out answers before someone finishes asking them a question.
Frequently interrupt or intrude on others. This often happens so much that it causes problems in social or work settings.
Start conversations at inappropriate times
Three types of ADHD
According to the CDC, there are three types of ADHD. They are defined according to which symptoms stand out the most.
Predominantly inattentive type
The person finds it very difficult to organize or finish a task. They find it hard to pay attention to details and find it difficult to follow instructions or conversations.
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
The person finds it hard to keep still - they fidget and talk a lot. A smaller child may be continually jumping, running or climbing. They are restless and impulsive - interrupting others, grabbing things and speaking at inappropriate times. They have difficulty waiting their turn and find it hard to listen to directions. A person with this type of ADHD will have more injuries and/or accidents than others.
Combined type
A person whose symptoms include all those of 1 and 2, and whose symptoms are equally predominant. In other words, all the symptoms in 1 and 2 stand out equally.
Causes
The cause of ADHD is unknown, however it has been thought that a number of factors (including diet, genetic as well as social and physical environment) contribute to exacerbate the condition. Genetics tend to be a factor in around 75 percent of all cases whilst environmental factors are thought to be the next major influence.
This involves alcohol and smoking during pregnancy, exposure to lead and pesticides, complications during pregnancy and birth (including premature births), infection during pregnancy and at birth all increase the risks.
Occupational therapy treatment
Occupational therapists are able to provide therapy programmes that will address the sensory processing difficulties and help the child to attend and learn by adapting the environment and activities. There are several programmes and activities that occupational therapists may use to provide the child with tools and coping techniques for use within school , home and other social environments.
The first thing the therapist does is evaluate your child. They usually do this with input from you and your childs teachers.
During the evaluation, the therapist will look at how ADHD affects your childs:
Schoolwork
Social life
Home life
The OT will also do a test to find out your childs strengths and weaknesses. Then theyll recommend ways to address his issues.
During a therapy session, the occupational therapist and your child might:
Play games, such as catching or hitting a ball to improve coordination.
Do activities to work out anger and aggression.
Learn new ways to do daily tasks like brushing teeth, getting dressed, or feeding himself.
Try techniques to improve focus.
Practice handwriting.
Go over social skills.
Group Play
Work on time management.
Set up ways to stay organized in the classroom and at home.
Come up with an analogy that helps your child understand hyperactivity and how to keep it in check. For example, a hot engine/cold engine analogy and how to cool a hot engine down.n
