Many People Have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

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Many people have Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (will be abbreviated ADD/ADHD) including the author of this paper who writes from personal experience. People with this disorder might be easily recognized because of their hyperactivity, inattentiveness, or disorganization. Many parents do not want their child on medication, because it would require testing, and it would label their child. What is not understood is that ADD/ADHD is protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act meaning it cannot hurt you in jobs, and that these are privileged medical records. On the flip side, some people want to medicate disruptive children prior to seeking counseling or classroom accommodations when the child may not need medication.…show more content…
Another thing a parent might try is dietary changes like removing certain food colorings and preservatives from their diet. Encouraging their child to spend more time outside and avoiding potential allergens, is one more thing parents often do (Medically). Parents may even try essential oils or herbs said to help ADD/ADHD to help calm their child, and reduce symptoms. Sometimes someone with ADD/ADHD will start doing yoga, because it was suggested by a therapist, to calm their mind and body. In fact, counseling is one recommended treatment of ADD/ADHD, and is recommended for children under the age of six as the first line of treatment by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Attention).Counseling helps children and adults learn useful tools and techniques to help them focus and pay attention. A therapist might help a child by teaching them how to decrease negative behavior, recognize when their symptoms are worse, and improve their social skills. Therapist do this by teaching the child to read facial expressions, how to share, and what responses work best against teasing (Johnson). Therapy also can give parents the skills and strategies to help their children manage their ADD/ADHD (Attention). Something parents might consider if counseling isn’t working is an alternate form of medication such as caffeine. Because caffeine is easily accessible without a prescription, someone with this disorder might use it instead of a
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