Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder characterized by difficulty in maintaining attention and may be accompanied by excessive activity and impulsivity.
Children with ADHD or ADHD have difficulty maintaining attention and following routines, guidelines and orders on an ongoing basis. That's why the best games are those that, in a fun way, awaken their curiosity, help them to fix the concentration, organize and memorize playing.
On the Akros website we have prepared a selection of observation puzzles, memorys, games to find the differences, bingo and fun activities that work on conflict resolution so that you can choose the most appropriate according to the characteristics and tastes of your child.
Children with ADHD can train certain techniques to improve their ability to concentrate through educational activities and games. Symptom detection, diagnosis, information for adults and initiation of treatment should be as early as possible. As a reinforcement of treatment, parents should offer play to their child in a fun and engaging way.
Once their attention has been drawn, parents should explain the mechanics of the game to their child in an unambiguous way. Children with attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder have difficulty thinking and planning, so they may need time and additional information to understand the task at hand, even if it means learning a game they like. The explanation of the rules should place special emphasis on the child's understanding that losing a game is part of the game, and not a tantrum situation.
The educational puzzles on the Akros website are an effective support in improving concentration. Depending on the child's tastes and needs, parents can offer to play word puzzles. These activities involve the construction of syllables, words or entire phrases; and there is the picture puzzle variant.
In the same way, the activities and games of completing geometric figures serve as reinforcement of the treatment of ADHD. Card games for finding differences or relating families of objects can improve memorization.
Other support games for the therapy of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders are those of the "connect the dots" type. In them the child must complete sequences of lines in a drawing.
ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a childhood disorder of neurobiological origin. The diagnosis of ADHD in children under the age of 6 is rare, as symptoms such as excessive impulsivity are evident in school settings. During primary school, the young person faces major situations and difficulties that may show that his or her ADHD goes beyond simple childhood concerns.
The illness can lead to other disorders that affect mental health. By the end of the school year, the adolescence of children with undiagnosed and untreated ADHD is often problematic, as is their life as adults. In the case of adults who take their child with ADHD to the specialist for consultation, it may happen that one of the parents discovers in their child's symptoms the same health problems that he or she had in childhood and did not receive diagnosis or treatment.
The treatment of ADHD, once the information on the case is collected, is planned on an individualized basis depending on the patient. The combination of pharmacological and psychological treatment mitigates symptoms and minimizes the occurrence of other associated mental health disorders. Treatment is similar in the more adult patients.
The first signs of attention deficit may be noticed in school, as this is the place where children begin to interact, and where they begin to be required to follow social patterns outside of family dynamics.
For diagnosis, symptoms are grouped into three main behavior patterns: hyperactivity, impulsivity and attention deficit. Symptoms should persist for more than 6 months and be unusual for the child's age or intelligence level.
The child is restless, has trouble letting go of legs and hands or changes position constantly, gets up or has trouble sitting, is noisy when expected to be at the crook or during games that require concentration or silence, or in those where he or she must wait his or her turn.
Makes mistakes that are not consistent with your intelligence, often carelessly; Has trouble or is unable to maintain attention to tasks or play. Often seems to not listen when spoken to; has trouble following instructions or completing activities or duties without being distracted or moving on to another task; is averse to duties that require more mental effort; loses tools, keys, or other objects of daily use; is easily distracted; and may forget activities of daily living.
Responds arrogantly or prematurely, in group situations often skips shifts or loses patience while waiting; frequently interrupts or interferes with conversations or tasks of peers, talks a lot and without measures on social considerations.
The causes of this disorder are unclear, but a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors may contribute to a change in the child's behavior as he or she leaves the family environment - which is always more controlled.
Biological factors include male relatives to grandparents and uncles who may show or have shown symptoms of ADD or ADHD during childhood; injuries acquired during pregnancy or birth, at which time they may be vulnerable to hypoxic injury (lack of oxygen to the brain and reduced blood flow), are among the causes that may generate psychological factors, along with the child's personality; and environmental factors could be related to family or school stress, or educational difficulties (low resources, schools far from home, high academic competence, absent parents, etc.).)
The child psychologist must perform a series of tests and follow-ups before diagnosing a child with ADD or ADHD. Some of the procedures include:
A combination of psychological treatment with family and academic dynamics is needed to help you change behavior and improve school performance. Treatment will depend on the difficulties of each individual child and their personal diagnosis. The incorporation of new routines and activities such as sports and music are essential to promote a change in their behaviour and the involvement of parents and family members in conjunction with teachers is essential. It is also very beneficial to interact in a playful way with the child with sensory games or puzzles that allow them to capture their attention and concentrate. Some medications may be suggested by the child psychiatrist, but it is essential to combine them with all other methods.
Therapies aimed at reducing anxiety and group therapies may be of great benefit and are often combined with therapies to improve social skills. Support in learning, to promote school performance and social integration will also need to be re-designed.
These behavior modification techniques are essential in the treatment of hyperkinetic disorder but may also be recommended for mild attention deficit problems.
There is evidence about the effect of some foods on children, including sugar and excessive carbohydrate intake. Carefully observing whether behavior changes occur after eating specific foods is important, as well as observing allergic or other reactions to them. Such foods should be avoided. A specialist can help you choose a diet according to your age and rate of growth.
Medications may be prescribed in specific cases, but should be carefully monitored and combined with other therapies and learning models, as well as with sports and outdoor play activities.
It is important to explain to the child that medication is a palliative for the symptoms, but it is the enthusiasm and attitude itself, together with the family and school dynamics, that will actually produce a change in their behaviour and behaviour.
It is imperative to quickly address and eliminate stigma and misconceptions (such as letting him think that taking the pills makes him crazy, or makes him different).
Among the most commonly used medications are central nervous system stimulants, such as amphetamine derivatives, whose side effects can be significant. They are used to reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity and to improve care, but should be administered only under strict medical and family follow-up. No medications for this type of childhood disorder are recommended for children under 6 years of age.
Routines and planning play an important role, considering strategies to address:
This disorder can only be diagnosed from the age of five or six, but it is from the age of three that a professional with sufficient experience will be able to detect the first symptoms.
The symptoms of attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity are detectable from the moment we see that the child does not adapt correctly to the different areas of daily life, i.e. family, school, friends and even himself.
Until ADD is detected and diagnosed, it is thought that children do not do things because they do not want to, that they are lazy, lazy, etc., and it is normal for them to be punished for it.
Parents, teachers, friends, siblings, etc., can all reprimand a child with ADHD for not doing things as expected, which only increases the fear and frustration that the child may feel.
Lack of attention, or rather of effective attention, means that everything related to learning is affected.
Children with ADD often lose objects such as toys, books, school supplies, etc., and often do not remember where they were left.
Despite the large differences between children with and without hyperactivity with this disorder, we can find many common characteristics that we explain below:
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) generally suffer from other symptoms and disorders associated with hyperactivity and impulsivity.
The motor, mental and emotional control of a child with ADHD is characterized primarily by:
In addition, children with ADHD are impulsive, impatient and self-centered.
It is less common than ADHD and in this case, this disorder is characterized by the exact opposite of the previous one:
In general, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are children who are withdrawn, unable to attend, unable to maintain attention for very long periods of time, and have trouble getting their attention right.
The child with Attention Deficit Disorder without hyperactivity usually has somewhat childish behaviors, immature in relation to those expected due to his or her stage of maturation.
In addition, in terms of their motor control, they tend to present passivity, slowness, dysgraphia and clumsiness that are accompanied by slow responses, disorganization and, in general, inefficiency in the performance of their tasks.
What should not be done is to punish the child who suffers from this type of distraction but to motivate him or her to manage to regulate his or her attention.
