ADD - How Much Happier Do You Want Your Child To Be?

By Garry Macdonald

A major part of the solution to many medical conditions is identification and acknowledgement that the condition exists. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is no different. In order to treat the condition, it's critical that we identify the symptoms. This article describes the various symptoms manifested in children and highlights the differences between boys and girls. ADD can take several forms in children. It is not difficult to identify a child with ADD - their personality often reflects total chaos. In general, boys fit this category. However there are some types of ADD which go undiagnosed because their effects are far less evident. This occurs primarily in the case of girls.

There are many girls who are categorized as "tomboys". They frequently exhibit some of the features of ADD, like being more involved in physical activities, but generally they are not as reckless as boys. As a result teachers and parents tend to jump to the conclusion that the child has no interest in academic pursuits and is basically disorganized, however the possibility of ADD is seldom considered.

Besides the "tomboy" types, "chatty" girls could also be suffering from ADD, however they often remain undiagnosed. This is a fusion of over-activity and inattentiveness, and is usually touted as socially extrovert. These girls are extremely talkative rather than being physically active. They also have difficulty telling detailed stories and will often be distracted.

Those we label "daydreamers" could also be suffering from ADD. They do not draw attention to themselves and tend to be very quite. However, being introvert and not paying attention in class can be another form of ADD. Symptoms might include anxiety and depression - particularly when given school projects plus the inability to complete school projects. This generally goes undiagnosed because the child is thought to be lazy.

What is fascinating is that many girls with ADD have quite a high IQ and could be considered as "gifted". Keep in mind that ADD is not a learning disorder, and patients are not always poor performers at school. Until high school they can perform quite well but with mounting pressure and assignments, symptoms might become more and more evident.

When undiagnosed, ADD might cause significant harm. Children will often be labeled as disorganized, lacking intelligence and lazy, when in fact, they might be silent sufferers of ADD. They will often have very low self-esteem and be convinced they are quitters or stupid. It is crucial that the problem is identified and treated before it becomes too pronounced and any long-term damage is done.

Garry Macdonald & Kieran Smyth have established a website providing little know information about attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To learn the insider secrets about ADD or ADHD, go to http://www.adhdsecretsuncovered.com .

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Mental Illness and the Carers Role - Looking for early warning signs

By Kaye Dennan

The role of a carer for a mentally ill loved is many and varied and without doubt, a stressful one. There are stages of shock, disbelief, acceptance and then coping to deal with.

If you are dealing with your caring role on a day to day basis then it is important that you learn as quick as you can, strategies to cope with various situations. There will be many different situations to deal with depending on the illness being dealt with. Some illnesses can have the sufferer going through changing moods, paranoia, bad attitudes and more within minutes. All these changes make it very hard for the carer to cope.

As time goes along and you start experiencing repetition in the problems you can start looking for early warning signs of illness. By doing this strategies can be set up and both the carer and sufferer can have discussions on action to be taken in the future. I have often heard it said, "But he/she is so ill I just cant discuss anything", and yes, at times this may be true. Keeping in mind the type of illness you are dealing with, there will more than likely be small windows of time where you will be able to open up some sort of discussion. Sometimes these windows of opportunity are so small and there can be so many issues to be discussed, that you will have to prioritise them. Keeping a diary or notepad, at least, of issues to be discussed helps relieve some of the stress because you know you have it on paper and it wont be forgotten.

A fairly easy to read sign, once you have seen it several times, is the harrowed look in their eyes which could be fear or exhaustion, or in the case of a person with bipolar it could be the opposite, in that they may be in a manic phase and look exhilarated. Early warning signs could range from agitation, pacing, yelling, isolation, not eating, total non-activity, hand signing or other signs depending on the illness involved.

It is not difficult to notice these signs once you have seen them several times and it will allow you to deal with them sooner. It could be medication that needs to be addressed,stress over a job, or appointment or whatever it is, but don't delay and if you can foresee trouble ahead you can get hold of doctors and counsellors for back up help.

In the early days of caring life is often lived with the "it will get better soon" attitude, and this may be so for some people, but the reality is, that it may not. Because dealing with the whole situation can be so stressful try to plan ahead for doctors appointments by making notes of concerns you have and questions you want answers to, otherwise there is a good chance you will forget at the time.

As a carer I would encourage you to work on coping strategies as much as helping your loved one. AND coping may mean making sure that you have an interest outside the family just for yourself alone and do it on a regular basis. At certain stages carers find release of stress going to carers support groups, or you just might like to continue a hobby, have a trip to the hairdressers, but do find something you enjoy as it is so important to look after yourself as well. You are doing a very hard job and you deserve to be rewarded for it too!

Kaye Dennan is a carer/author of a person suffering a mental disorder and through her own experience believes in recovery. Kaye has published an ebook called Managing MENTAL ILLNESS - Coping Strategies for the Carer and it is available at http://ebooksnowonline.com/family/mental-illness-coping-strategies/ and is contactable on kaye@ebooksnowonline.com.

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