Is hyperactivity a sign of intelligence?
Hyperactivity is attributed to “excessive intelligence” by some people in the society. However, hyperactivity or ADHD has nothing to do with intelligence. It can be seen at any intelligence level. On the other hand, attention deficit or mobility symptoms can negatively affect learning or course success. In a group of children, the symptoms are relatively mild and with their superior intelligence, they grasp their lessons in a short time. Unless their mobility is also destructive, the attention deficit symptoms of children in this group may not be noticed until middle school. In middle school, children encounter more difficult and complex lessons and require more attention. Symptoms may become more noticeable after this stage.
What is the frequency of ADHD?
Although the frequency of ADHD varies depending on the place of research, the average age of the children and young people included in the research group and the method, the figures varying between 3% and 10% in the society in general have been found. Boys apply to the clinic 4-5 times more often. Studies have reported that ADHD is seen 2 to 10 times more frequently in boys.
What are the causes of ADHD?
Despite many scientific studies, the cause(s) of ADHD has not been clarified yet. It is thought to occur as a result of the interaction of genetic, biological and environmental factors.
Should every child with ADHD be treated?
The answer to this question has not been definitively established yet. There are different opinions in this area. In my opinion, even very intelligent children should be treated if they have symptoms that negatively affect an area of their daily life (eg, social relations, academic success, study habits, family relations). If there are symptoms, but there is no significant effect on daily life, it should be followed closely for possible impairment in functionality.
Where should people with ADHD symptoms apply?
The diagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents should be made by a child and adolescent psychiatrist. Other professionals are not qualified to make this diagnosis. Because the differential diagnosis of many medical conditions that can be confused with the diagnosis (eg, absence, hyperthyroidism, anxiety disorders) can only be made by a physician with medical training. Violations of professional boundaries are common in our country and it is observed that this diagnosis is also made by pedagogues (child development specialists), psychologists, teachers and butchers.
Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
The aim of the treatment of ADHD is to improve the symptoms in the areas of attention deficit, mobility and impulsivity, by improving the child’s learning skills and academic success, communication with other people, obeying the rules, self-regulation. to increase their self-confidence and happiness. The best success in the treatment of ADHD is achieved with the cooperation of parents, children, teachers and child/adolescent psychiatrists. However, achieving this cooperation is not always easy. There may be event-specific reasons for this, as well as sometimes lack of knowledge about ADHD and distorted prejudices about medications. This situation requires parents, children and teachers to be educated about ADHD and its treatment. In fact, there is a need for raising awareness of the society in general. For this reason, the efforts of the media and the relevant institutions of the state are important. If ADHD symptoms are caused by another medical disorder or condition, that disorder or condition should be treated. Often, ADHD is accompanied by another psychiatric disorder. Treatment of other accompanying psychiatric or medical conditions is essential. The combination of behavioral methods and drug therapy gives the best results. Although drug therapy is the backbone of the treatment, better results are obtained with other methods (eg, increasing the parenting skills of the mother and father; cognitive behavioral methods). Unfortunately, attention exercises have been shown to be useless in various scientific studies.
