ADD is a Challenge for a Child to Grow Up With
ADHD Can Make a Profound Impact on Your Child’s Life
April 5, 2017An Underbite is a Treatable Condition
April 15, 2017Approximately 11% (6.4 million) kids have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD, from the ages of 4-17 as of a study done in 2011. While there are a lot of similarities, it is important to realize that there are differences between ADD and ADHD. While to some they may seem relatively insignificant, in can mean a difference in how to care for your child and how to work with them through their ADD symptoms.
The Difference Between ADD and ADHD
Both of these disorders can cause a number of similar problems. For starters, they both make school, home, and social lives challenging, from making friends to brushing your teeth. However, there are key differences that are essential to understand. ADD is a subtype of ADHD, and while many people still use the term ADD, the technical name is ADHD: Predominantly Inattentive Type.
ADD can cause many of the same issues as ADHD can, but it does not carry the excessive energy and hyperactivity that ADHD does. This means that they tend to become distracted and daydream rather than becoming rowdy or disruptive. This can prove a problem because it makes it more challenging for teachers or parents to sometimes notice. In fact, many do not even consider ADHD or a subtype thereof because the children tend to appear slower or sluggish, rather than the stereotypically understood concept of ADHD. Children who deal with ADD often appear as stubborn or rebellious rather than simply needing a bit of help.
The Impact of ADD on Structure
No matter where in life you go, be it work, school, social events, or anything else, ADD can make these times challenging for your son or daughter. Each and every one of these situations has its own structure and social construct attached to it. These expectations may not only be difficult for your child to understand, but to follow through with. There are some things that need to be worked around with this kind of a disorder.
For example, you may find that your child is a bit more immature than his or her peers, and they may find that they do not fit in very well. They may struggle to make or keep friends due to their potential for violent outbursts, temper tantrums, struggles to make and keep plans, and more. These children need extra attention at school. Since they feel left out, they may respond aggressively. Plus, they are highly susceptible to being a bully, or if they do not lash out in that way, they may become the bullied.
Children who suffer from ADD will find that they have a low tolerance for frustration and become very bored very quickly. This means that they do not often sit at one project or task for very long. While ADD children may appear lazy, they are just trying to do too many things at once to get any of them done effectively. This can mean procrastination in school, difficult interpersonal relationships, and challenging experiences in public where they may act out inappropriately to the situation at hand. These are all able to be worked around, however, with proper care and patience.
Causes of ADD
ADD can come from a wide variety of influences, from natural sources in the environment to genetics, to even preventable causes. One common misconception is that parents failed in some way. ADD does not stem from poor parenting. If you have ADD, it could be passed on through genetics, but your behavior does not shape theirs in that regard. It is also important to note that sugar and television do not influence the development of such issues.
Pregnancies, though can do a lot to affect how at risk your child is. For example, if you smoke or drink during pregnancy, your child’s risk for several disorders rises. Your child may also develop ADD if they were born prematurely or with a low birth weight. This disorder could also come from environmental factors as well, such as lead or pesticide exposure or the improper use of additives in their food. ADD can also come from a brain injury.
There is another cause for ADD that many people do not realize, and that is a secondary disorder called obstructive sleep disorder. This disorder causes breathing to stop during your child’s sleep (occurs in about 90% of kids). It can lead to problems like ADD/ADHD, bedwetting, snoring, asthma, and more. However, this is treatable so that it does not continue causing these problems, by using an oral appliance. It works with your child’s jaw while they sleep to clear the pathways properly and to eliminate the obstruction. This provides a good, solid night’s rest along with the added benefit of healthier daily life.