| Let's look at five behavioral issues which are not | | | | skills much better than other antidepressants. |
| ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). | | | | Please consult your doctor about possible |
| While these difficulties may be found along with | | | | advantages of dual-action antidepressants for |
| ADHD, it doesn't mean that they are symptoms | | | | children with both a low mood and executive |
| of ADHD. | | | | dysfunction). |
| The five problems we'll discuss are Anxiety, | | | | 3. Disruptive Behavior is an especially prevalent |
| Depression, Disruptive Behavior, Learning | | | | problem in school. Some kids just won't settle |
| Disabilities, and Sensory Integration Disorder. | | | | down and are a significant learning liability for other |
| Please believe me - I don't want to make your life | | | | students. Sometimes, disruptive behavior is |
| more complicated! Yet if we wish to approach | | | | mistaken for hyperactivity. Indeed, hyperactivity |
| treatment and outcomes with a degree of | | | | may lead to disruptive behavior, but they are not |
| scientific objectivity, an accurate understanding of | | | | the same thing. All kinds of kids can be disruptive, |
| a child's behavior is essential. Unfortunately, we | | | | sometimes intentionally. A hyperactive child has |
| live in a time when all kinds of behavioral problems | | | | trouble slowing down, even though he may wish |
| are herded under the umbrella of ADHD. But what | | | | to. An intentionally disruptive child may be feeling |
| if some attention problems have a different | | | | frustrated by classroom expectations, rebelling |
| foundation, and what if psychostimulant | | | | against authority, developing self-control at a |
| medication isn't always the best response to | | | | slower rate than peers, or seeking attention. If a |
| behavioral problems - even those that appear to | | | | child is invested in gaining attention through |
| involve hyperactivity? | | | | mischief, loudness, or intrusion, a medicine such as |
| 1. Anxiety is a problem that may easily affect | | | | Ritalin (TM) is not likely the best course of |
| attention because a child can be preoccupied with | | | | treatment. |
| internal thoughts or worries. As a consequence, | | | | 4. Learning Disabilities may affect one or more |
| he or she may appear to be zoning out. An | | | | subject areas, as well as social interaction. It |
| important question to consider is whether your | | | | stands to reason that if a child has a learning |
| child is equally distracted when he or she is | | | | problem, in reading for example, he or she will be |
| relaxed. If not, situational factors may be | | | | less attentive to that aspect of instruction. A |
| triggering anxiety and inattention. Sometimes | | | | learning disability can certainly be exacerbated by |
| children who do not know how to handle a | | | | ADHD, but ADHD itself is better understood more |
| worrisome situation, or who have difficulty | | | | as a learning liability than something like dyslexia - |
| expressing their feelings, "clam up." Don't you | | | | a specific learning disability. |
| have a harder time concentrating on work if | | | | 5. Sensory Integration Disorder (SID) is a problem |
| you're nervous or worried about a personal | | | | with either being oversensitive or undersensitive |
| situation? It can be much more difficult for a child | | | | to sensory stimuli. These problems can make a |
| to articulate his or her worries. A concern that | | | | child appear either hyperactive or inattentive. This |
| seems trivial to adults can also cause great | | | | disorder is often confused with ADHD, especially |
| anxiety for a child, as well. For example, a | | | | in preschool children whose sensory integration |
| preschool boy was very worried in school until it | | | | difficulties undermine "self-control." A child with a |
| was discovered that he was having trouble | | | | sensory integration disorder may be distressed by |
| handling his buckles and snaps at the bathroom | | | | loud noises, bright lights, rough textures, or smells; |
| break but was afraid to ask for help; a 7th grade | | | | or conversely, may need to handle things, hang |
| girl couldn't focus in her Language Arts class | | | | upside-down, or shout boisterously. For an |
| because she was seated next to a girl who had | | | | excellent discussion of Sensory Integration |
| mocked her in gym. | | | | Disorder, read Carol Stock Kranowitz's book, The |
| Depression is a mood disorder which can impair | | | | Out-of Sync Child. |
| executive thinking skills like working memory, | | | | Each of the disorders described above could |
| cognitive flexibility, planning, and attention. | | | | potentially be found along with ADHD, in which |
| 2. Depression turns our mind's idle down, and as a | | | | case both disorders need to be treated. Without |
| result we can appear "out of it" - but the cause is | | | | question, ADHD is major health epidemic facing |
| not ADHD. Irritability, lack of initiation or interest, | | | | children. The Center for Disease Control and the |
| and inattention may be symptoms of depression | | | | World Health Organization have both affirmed this |
| or ADHD. Of course, most children can't describe | | | | fact. In the midst of managing this crisis, we've |
| exactly what they feel, or whether a mood | | | | got to work hard to resist "one size fits all" |
| problem or poor focus came first. In such cases, | | | | thinking. Let's make sure children's behavior is |
| it is critical to evaluate a child's behavior in multiple | | | | carefully evaluated and understood within a social |
| contexts, and to determine if an improvement in | | | | and emotional context. If we were the person |
| mood helps focus. (Some dual-action | | | | being treated, we wouldn't expect or accept |
| antidepressants such as Effexor (TM), which | | | | anything less! |
| effect norepinephrine, enhance executive thinking | | | | |