Posts tagged ‘Adolescents’
“Back to School.…..Another Year of Problems for ADD Kids and their Parents?”
For many parents, the end of summer and return to school is a busy time and one of promise, high expectations and delight in watching their children grow. However, for some parents whose children may have, or are diagnosed with ADD, it is a return to disappointment, frustration, and constant struggle.
School, for the child with ADD, is an experience that usually tears them down rather than building them up. Any one of, or the combination of inattention, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity (symptoms of ADD) usually cause a child to feel that they are not very smart, or are bad people, and/or are unlikable. The opposite is usually true. Behind the academic struggles and/or misbehavior is usually a higher than average I.Q. and a very pleasant disposition. However, the reality of the feedback the world (at least in part) gives them is the very negative, harmful self-image just mentioned.
On top of this, many children with ADD feel isolated. This comes from isolation from peers due to accompanying poor social skills, behavior, and self-esteem. Sadly, these children also are often silently, secretly isolating these feelings from their parents as they are afraid to bring them up for fear of further upsetting them.
Parents are subject to a barrage of complaints from school, disheartening parent-teacher conferences, poor report cards, and often strong resistance from the child himself. Parents often struggle through tortuous homework sessions, undeserved guilt (ADD is not caused by parenting style, it is a mild neurological condition), and frustration, not to mention the occurrences of many of these same problems at home.
The chances are that you would not be reading this if you or someone you know was not living through this nightmare. Often, attempts to remedy this situation fail or are unacceptable, and the parent gives up and accepts this as their child’s “lot”. This is tragic. In most cases this situation can be corrected, with the accompanying return to healthy family dynamics, and a healthy, happy, self-confident child, without the rigors and side effects of lifelong medication.
All three sub-types of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD); Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, and Combined, are neurological in basis, and can be corrected through a form of neurological re-training. Neurofeedback is an effective, drug-free, painless procedure in which the child learns to re-train the attention mechanisms of the brain, alleviating the condition. Once training is completed, no further treatment is necessary.
To request information on the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD, ADHD), Mild to Moderate Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sleep Disorders, Chronic Depression, Chronic Anxiety, and Peak Performance Training contact:
Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback 1075 Yorba Place Suite 105 Placentia, CA 92870 714.990.6536 Website: www.ocbiofeedback.comTeenagers and Depression
As many as 25% of all teenagers with ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with/without Hyperactivity, ADD) are clinically depressed. All three types of this disorder; Primarily Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, and Combined Form, are capable of producing depression in teens. Depression is a serious disorder, capable of depriving a person of much needed energy, mental clarity, objectivity reasoning (a crucial skill for this age group), optimism, clear judgment, and enjoyment of life. It can sometimes, tragically, build to even suicidal levels. It is very important to be able to recognize the signs of depression in these young people, and in the cases where it is being primarily produced by ADHD, correct this cause.
The stereotypical image we all have of depression is usually someone who is sad, tearful, listless, and lonesome. Teenagers with depression often don’t look like this at all. They don’t typically display gloom, criticize themselves, or talk about feeling hopeless like adults do.
Teens with major depression are often negative and anti-social; feelings of wanting to leave home or run away are increased. They may have a strong sense of disapproval or being misunderstood by peers, siblings and parents. They may also change their basic emotional tone, and become aggressive, grouchy, and restless. Often a depressed teenager will stop paying attention to personal appearance, or may even adopt the “uniform” of social sub-groups that claim despondency and depression as a way of life. There may be an increased, unfounded sense of being unloved or rejected by loved ones.
Girls have a tendency to internalize performance difficulties more often than boys do, although this happen in many boys too. A girl will more frequently see failure as a sign that she is a bad, or deficient person. She will often make the unfortunate leap, that she is therefore unlovable. This is another way in which ADHD can trigger significant depression.
Boys (and some girls) will often become aggressive with their parents and/or peers, be more agitated at home, and get into trouble at school or with the law. Parents are often frustrated, angry, or confused by this kind of behavior. Some parents respond by becoming stern disciplinarians, engage in power struggles, or may even put the teenager down, which only serves to increase feelings of depression. Some parents feel helpless, and withdraw form the parenting and help their children need, further isolating them.
If there are some of the other signs of ADHD present (difficulty concentrating, organizing, completing tasks, and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity) along with the depression, it is a very good idea to have the teenager tested for ADHD. If the disorder is present, it is likely treatable without medication, and the depression should be alleviated too. Lifting huge burdens of the teen’s head and heart (not to mention Mom’s, Dad’s, and the rest of the family.
Neurofeedback is a highly effective, drug free, safe, non-invasive and painless procedure in which the child learns to retrain the brain, correcting the problem. Once training is complete, no further treatment is necessary.
To request information on the treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD, ADHD), Mild to Moderate Autism Spectrum Disorders, Sleep Disorders, Chronic Depression, Chronic Anxiety, and Peak Performance Training contact:
Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback 1075 Yorba Place Suite 105 Placentia, CA 92870 714.990.6536 Website: www.ocbiofeedback.comReturn of School Problems for ADHD Children?
I was speaking with the mother of several school age children recently (one with ADHD), and she gave voice to a feeling I suspect many mothers have. “The kids are back in school, Thank God; I love my kids-but I need a little time at home alone to regroup…….. The kids are back in school. Oh my God! We’re going to start having all those school struggles with Alex again!” Does this sound familiar?
Many parents may have felt optimistic that with summer school, some tutoring, or because it’s a new year and the child is older, that this year would be an entirely new experience. Unfortunately, for most kids with ADHD, this is not the case. Individuals with ADHD have a unique handicap. It is a neurological disorder that, if untreated, will usually persist throughout life, typically creating significant difficulties in school, the workplace, and in relationships.
The classroom environment- with its particular emphasis on organization, schedules, and assignments, long periods of desk work, and emphasis on writing and math- are usually places where children with ADHD have significant difficulty. Furthermore, they take longer to complete in-class and homework assignments. They can quickly become overwhelmed, rebellious, and discouraged, and can “turn off” to the idea of learning.
Some children with ADHD also have behavior difficulties and/or may become isolated, or have difficulty forming friendships. These problems, combined with the aforementioned performance difficulties, often add up to the child developing a self-image of being “not to smart” (tragically incorrect, most people with ADHD have a higher than average intelligence), and/or being a “trouble-maker”. Unfortunately, as we all tend to live out our self-images, the longer this is allowed to exist, the stronger and greater the problems become. It is therefore critical to correct this situation immediately.
Solution:
The solution to this problem is to correct the disorder.Many parents, unfortunately, deny the existence of the disorder, or choose to not get help for their child because they fear the side effects, and rigors of medication (life-long treatment).There is, however, an alternative to this scenario.Neurofeedback is a highly effective, drug free, safe, non-invasive and painless procedure in which the student learns to correct the problem.Once training is complete, no further treatment is necessary.
Dr. Stephen A. Ferrari Alta Neuro-Imaging Neurofeedback 1075 Yorba Place Suite 105 Placentia, CA 92870 714.990.6536 Website: www.ocbiofeedback.com
