If you're caring for school age grandchildren, there is a good chance that sooner or later one of your grandkids will be diagnosed as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Experts estimate that 3 to 11 percent of children suffer from ADHD and boys are afflicted five to seven times more than girls.
The disorder affects school performance and peer relationships. It may go unrecognized until the child enters school, and telltale signs like fidgeting, poor concentration and impulsiveness surface. And ADHD doesn't disappear as the child matures. Unheard of a few years ago, ADHD is the most common behavioral disorder in American Children.
Let's stop and review some facts about ADHD. The following quiz will help you recognize the facts and dispel the myths about this disorder.
ADHD Quiz
Below are five scenarios that describe children with ADHD. Each scene has several possible endings. Choose the ending that you think gives the best description of an ADHD child.
1. You lose your temper when your 10-year-old child doesn't remember the two or three things you asked him to buy at the market. A 10-year-old boy who claims he can't remember directions: a. is faking it. b. pays less attention to directions than other children. c. practices selective listening and occasionally forgets directions. d. can't tune out the distractions aroud him.
If you chose d, your answer is correct. ADHD children don't fake poor memory and the adage, "in one ear and out the other," fits them perfectly. Many ADHD children are so easily distracted that they forget they are setting the table or taking out the garbage.
They are distracted by noises, smells and colors. They can't ignore the whispers of school mates, the movement ofthe second hand on the wall clock, or a weird shadow. It is like listening to a radio with poor reception, ADHD children can't tune out the interference.
2. Mary and John worry because their four-year-old granddaughter doesn't listen or follow directions. Her behavior means: a. She is developing ADHD.
