Submitted by Anjum Bashir, MD
Many parents of school-aged children anticipate summer vacation with mixed feelings. There is the ideal vision of leisurely family time, children happily playing together, doing enriching activities, and discovering the joy in outdoor play. Then there is the reality of bickering children whining that “there’s nothing to do.” While all children do better with some structure to their days—even in the summer—this is doubly true for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD/ADD.
But what if you don’t know? Maybe your child seems overly active, tends to act impulsively, jumps from one activity to the next, or has a hard time getting along with other children; don’t most children sometimes act impulsively, get sidetracked, and argue with playmates? Maybe your child did okay in school, but his difficult behavior is causing problems at home; don’t most children behave differently around their parents than other adults? Maybe your child will be starting kindergarten in the fall, and you are concerned about how his always-in-motion behavior will affect his school performance; will he be able to sit still and concentrate for longer periods of time?
Parents should never hesitate to have their child evaluated if there are any concerns about the child’s behavior or development. Difficulty at home or school might be due to ADHD/ADD, or it might not. But you need to know for sure, and summer can be a good time to find out. Parents may have been considering this for some time, but the school year is so busy, and they didn’t want their child missing a lot of school, so they put it off. Sometimes certain behaviors will be noticed more during the summer because it is less structured, and parents may have more opportunity to observe it.
The National Institute of Mental Health estimates 3–5 percent of all children—more than 2 million American kids—have ADHD/ADD, with boys affected almost twice as often as girls. Even though attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders, it can be very difficult to diagnose and is often misdiagnosed. Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD, but children mature at different rates and have different personalities, temperaments, and energy levels. Sometimes, these normal factors may be mistaken for ADHD. On the other hand, adults may think that children who are hyperactive or impulsive just have emotional or disciplinary problems. Parents and teachers can miss the fact that children with symptoms of inattention have the disorder because they are often quiet and not disruptive.
So, how do you know? First of all, be sure to have your child evaluated by an experienced professional. It can be a good idea to get more than one opinion. ADHD is traditionally diagnosed by gathering information about the child and his or her behavior and environment. If the child meets the criteria for ADHD, which includes having at least six symptoms for more than six months to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age, he or she will be diagnosed with the disorder. The problem with this method of diagnosis is that it is still very subjective.
A new technology is now available that can diagnose ADHD with greater certainty. The FDA has recently approved the Quotient® ADHD System, providing doctors and parents with objective measurement of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity for clinical assessment of ADHD. The test, which only takes about 15 minutes, involves the child sitting at a specially-designed computer workstation. The System uses a patented Motion Tracking System to measure an individual’s movement while focusing on visual stimuli and accurately measures motion and analyzes shifts in attention state.
The System then compares the results of the patient’s test to other individuals of age and gender-matched groups. Results are calculated based on 19 or more parameters that combine to give greater than 90 percent accuracy in identifying ADHD. Results are available immediately, allowing doctor and parents to move forward with treatment plans promptly. While there is no cure, proper diagnoses and treatment can eliminate or control many of the symptoms so that children with ADHD can be successful in school and in life.
For more information on Quotient Testing for ADHD diagnosis, TMS Therapy for depression, or any mental illness, contact Anjum Bashir, MD at 217-422-0027. He is one of the few physicians in Central Illinois offering TMS Therapy and Quotient Testing. His Bloomington office is located at 205 N. Williamsburg, Suite D and he also has an office in Decatur. TMS therapy is covered by many insurance companies including BCBS.
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