Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder( ADHD )

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behaviours. It used to also be called attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADHD is commonly found in children and adults. People who have ADHD have trouble paying attention in school, at home, or at work. Even when they try to concentrate, they find it hard to pay attention. Children who have ADHD may be more active or impulsive than what is typical for their age. These behaviours cause problems in friendships, learning, and behaviour. For this reason, children who have ADHD are sometimes seen as being “difficult” or as having behavioural problems.

Most of what we hear about ADHD is how it affects children. Not as much is known about the way ADHD affects adults. Adults who have ADHD often are diagnosed when they find out their children have ADHD. For adults to be diagnosed, they must have developed symptoms prior to age 12. ADHD may run in families. Hyperactivity is more common in boys. However, other symptoms (especially inattention) are more common in girls.

Causative factors:

ADHD has causes that have not been fully understood as yet and researchers are still exploring genetic linkage. It has been seen in many cases that children with ADHD often have some family member suffering from this disorder. Certain areas of the brain have been found to be comparatively smaller in children with ADHD as well some chemical changes in the brain have been detected.

Symptoms:

The primary features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behaviour. ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age.

There are three subtypes of ADHD:

1. Predominantly inattentive: The majority of symptoms fall under inattention.A child who shows a pattern of inattention may often:

• Fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork
• Have trouble staying focused on tasks or play
• Appear not to listen, even when spoken to directly
• Have difficulty following through on instructions and fail to finish schoolwork or chores
• Have trouble organizing tasks and activities
• Avoid or dislike tasks that require focused mental effort, such as homework
• Lose items needed for tasks or activities, for example, toys, school assignments, pencils
• Be easily distracted
• Forget to do some daily activities, such as forgetting to do chores

2. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive: The majority of symptoms are hyperactive and impulsive.A child who shows a pattern of hyperactive and impulsive symptoms may often:

• Fidget with or tap his or her hands or feet, or squirm in the seat
• Have difficulty staying seated in the classroom or in other situations
• Be on the go, in constant motion
• Run around or climb in situations when it's not appropriate
• Have trouble playing or doing an activity quietly
• Talk too much
• Blurt out answers, interrupting the questioner
• Have difficulty waiting for his or her turn
• Interrupt or intrude on others' conversations, games or activities

3. Combined: The most common type in the U.S., this is a mix of inattentive symptoms and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms

How to diagnose ADHD?

In general, a child shouldn't receive a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder unless the core symptoms of ADHD start early in life before age 12 and create significant problems at home and at school on an ongoing basis. There's no specific test for ADHD, but making a diagnosis will likely include: Medical exam, Information gathering, Interviews or questionnaires for family members, your child's teachers or other people who know your child well, such as babysitters and coaches. ADHD criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association. Although signs of ADHD can sometimes appear in preschoolers or even younger children, diagnosing the disorder in very young children is difficult. That's because developmental problems such as language delays can be mistaken for ADHD.

How does Homoeopathy help to cure ADHD?

Homeopathic medicines are known to have a deep effect on human psychology and have been found effective in various mental and psychological disorders. The focus of homoeopathy does not only treat the symptoms of ADHD but to treat the child as a whole. Not only the symptoms of ADHD but also the general physical and mental constitution of the patient, past medical history, medical history of parents, information about pregnancy and vaccination all are used to find the probable cause in a given case and based on the final analysis a remedy is chosen for a patient.

Commonly Indicated Homoeopathic remedies: How to diagnose ADHD?

• Coffea cruda: Made from unroasted coffee beans, the homoeopathic remedy Coffea cruda claims to have the exact opposite effect as a cup of joe: it unwinds the mind instead of revving it up, and is most often used to combat sleeplessness and racing thoughts in children and adults with ADHD.
• Synaptol: Synaptol is a homoeopathic liquid specially formulated for the treatment of ADHD in children and adults age 2 and older. It’s a mix of green oat grass (Avena sativa), sweet violet (Viola odorata), skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora), and several other herbs claimed by the manufacturer to improve attention and limit hyperactivity. Synaptol contains no alcohol or sugar and advertises itself as gluten-free — a potential plus for anyone with ADHD whose symptoms are sensitive to dietary factors.
• Verta alb: Derived from a plant in the lily family, Verta alb is used to “soothe the nerves,” and is often used for children with ADHD and comorbid anxiety. It has also been claimed to reduce the potential for temper tantrums in children who struggle to control their emotions. Like other plants used in homoeopathy, Verta alb is highly toxic in large doses; in fact, recent hypotheses suggest that Alexander the Great was poisoned with Verta alb, as opposed to arsenic — though historians remain divided on the issue
• Stramonium: This is one of the most commonly used and effective homoeopathic remedies for children with ADHD. In low doses, this medicine helps to reduce violent behaviour in children and makes them less hostile towards others.Stramonium is also prescribed for children suffering from the post-traumatic disorder and those who are afraid of darkness.
• Hyoscyamus: also known as hen-bane, is a nightshade that is a close relative of stramonium; it was found in the same 1997 study to be effective on ADHD symptoms. Like other members of the nightshade family, it is known to cause hallucinations or sickness when consumed in large amounts. In tiny homoeopathic amounts, it is specifically recommended for fidgety, restless children, particularly those who struggle to control their outbursts.