Parents often ask: "My child is always moving around and can't sit still at all. Does he have ADHD?" Is it ADHD that children like to move? Traditional Chinese medicine believes that children's physiological characteristics are "more than heart and more than liver". These two physiological characteristics determine children's active nature, and hyperactivity is not the only characteristic of hyperactivity children. Therefore, parents must not label their children as "ADHD".
What is ADHD?
ADHD refers to a group of syndromes that occur in childhood and are characterized by obvious difficulty in concentration, short attention duration, hyperactivity or impulsivity compared with children of the same age. It is also called child hyperactivity disorder, hyperactivity disorder or hyperactivity syndrome. The etiology of the disease is complex, which may be related to genetic factors, neurophysiological factors, mild brain injury, psychosocial factors, zinc and iron deficiency, increased blood lead, food additives, etc.
What abnormal behaviors should be alerted to?
Attention barriers, such as when listening to a class, doing homework or doing other things, it is often difficult to maintain sustained attention, and more distracted; Often distracted by the sounds in the surrounding environment, and look around or pick up the conversation; Often when one thing is not done, another thing is done; It is difficult to always follow the instructions to complete the required tasks; Do not pay attention to details, and often make mistakes due to carelessness; Often deliberately avoid or unwilling to engage in tasks that require a long time of concentration; Often lose things or forget things; Talking is often absent-minded and seems to be listening rather than listening.
Overactivity refers to that compared with most children of the same age and sex, the activity level exceeds the appropriate level. When in class, I can't sit still. I wiggle around in my seat. I often play with pencils, erasers and even school bags. I talk in class and even get off the seat; After class, he likes to provoke classmates. He talks a lot, likes running and making noise, and is difficult to play quietly.
Children who are impulsive are more impulsive and do not consider the consequences. Often interrupt or interrupt other people's conversation in an indiscriminate manner; Frequently disturb or interfere with others' activities; Often cause harm to others or oneself due to recklessness. Emotion is often unstable, easy to get overexcited, also easy to lose temper or cry because of a small thing, and even resistance or aggression.
Patients with cognitive impairment and learning difficulties have normal or near normal intelligence, but due to attention disorder, excessive activity and cognitive impairment, they often have learning difficulties, and their academic performance often lags behind the level of intelligence.
Some children with emotional and behavioral disorders have anxiety and depression because they are often criticized by teachers and parents and rejected by their peers. About 20% - 30% of children have anxiety disorders, which will lead to social disorders.
How to get along with children?
Correctly treat the symptoms of children, care and understand children, patiently help and train their behavior and learning, and do not discriminate, scold or punish them. Appropriately use praise and encouragement to improve children's self-confidence and consciousness.
At the same time, teachers should be provided with advice and help to make them understand the obstacle, use methods suitable for children to educate children, take appropriate behavior correction methods to improve children's symptoms, and give special guidance and help for children with learning difficulties.
Xie Jing, Department of Pediatrics, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
