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Behaviour problems and ADHD in children |
I
am concerned about my child's behaviour. What should I do?
Healthy
children are usually happy, curious, active and enjoy social
interaction with other children. Children
do not always display their reactions to stressful events immediately
and these may emerge later as behaviour problems. Attempting to
prepare children in advance, of any potentially traumatic event is
helpful, as is allowing them to express their true fears and
anxieties about impending events.
Things
to watch out for include:
- Mood
changes or extreme sadness that gets in the way of normal activities
(depression)
- Anxiety
- Not
eating enough or eating too much (disorders like anorexia nervosa
and bulimia)
- An
attitude of prejudice against some people (negative stereotyping)
- Repeating
cycles of doing something over and over again (obsessional
behaviour)
- Aggressive
behaviour
- Tendency
to want to be alone, isolating themselves.
What
about hyperactivity and attention deficit (ADHD)?
ADHD
is so common it is not seen as a real disorder unless it is at a very
serious level or occurs alongside other problems. Diagnostic testing
for it is rare in under 5s. Children with ADHD act without thinking,
are hyperactive, and have trouble focusing. They may understand
what's expected of them but have trouble following through because
they can't sit still, pay attention, or attend to details. They
will always interrupt you in the middle of a sentence or an activity.
Most
children (especially under 5s) act this way sometimes, but with ADHD
the symptoms are present over a longer period of time. They affect
the child's ability to function socially, academically and with their
family.
Consult
your doctor if:
- you
have any concerns about your child's behaviour
- you
think your child may need neurological or medical tests.
You
should, of course, talk with your child's teachers or friends and
perhaps the school psychologist. But you should also consult your GP
or your paediatrician. Sometimes simply identifying an organic
disease or a vision or hearing problem first can remedy the
situation.
At
Richmond Practice our consultant paediatrician offers all
developmental and some basic neurological assessments, as well as
blood tests, vision tests, hearing tests and intelligence tests. We
have a
good specialist network if your child needs specific investigations.
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