Comment: Complex and heterogeneous
Nikos Myttas
pp 3-3
As I sit down to look at this issue of ADHD in practice I cannot but be amazed and impressed by how complex and heterogeneous this condition is. The stream of new information that keeps pouring in makes attention deficit hyperactivity disorder not only a very rewarding condition to work with, but a very diagnostically challenging one that demands a thorough and comprehensive evaluation if all associated conditions are to be identified and addressed.
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Enuresis and ADHD
Hervé Caci
pp 4-5
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric diagnosis in childhood and adolescence, and its prevalence is similar in those countries where epidemiological studies have been conducted. The mean prevalence worldwide was recently estimated at 5.48% of school-aged children – meaning that, in France, it is likely that 600,000–800,000 children are affected by ADHD. Since ADHD has a strong genetic origin, it persists into adulthood in the majority of cases: the mean prevalence was estimated at 3.5%, which means that about 1.5 million adults are likely to be affected in France.
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Food as a trigger for ADHD symptoms: time for a paradigm shift?
Lidy MJ Pelsser
pp 6-9
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common psychiatric disorder in children that often leads to significant impairment of the child’s social and family life. A large number of children with ADHD suffer from comorbid oppositional defiant disorder: these children are even more difficult for parents and teachers to handle, and show increased risks of academic failure. The exact causes of ADHD are unclear; ADHD treatment, perforce, is bound to focus on addressing symptoms – mostly by means of medication like methylphenidate and behavioural therapy.
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1-2-3 Magic - a behavioural approach for ADHD?
Kirstin Knight
pp 10-13
A fraught parent–child relationship is a common factor in many childhood developmental disorders, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is no exception. Children with ADHD suffer frequent mood swings, display aggressive behaviour and have difficulty managing their impulses – symptoms that can be difficult to distinguish from ‘normal’ misbehaviour. This is exacerbated by the fact that this patient group displays a 30% maturity lag, on average, compared with their peers.
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1-2-3 Magic - an educator's view
Colin McGee
pp 13-13
What is it about 1-2-3 Magic that makes it stand out from the other behaviour management programmes I have trained in? For me, it is its simplicity and ease of use – and most importantly, that it works! It is a programme that you can understand and put into practice immediately, and the improvements that the novice practitioner can introduce are often significant, immediately reducing stress for parents, children and teachers alike.
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When appearances can deceive: final diagnoses in a child psychiatric unit
Eirini Lordou, Alexandros Lordos, Constantinos Lazarou, Alexia Lazarou, Anna Paradeisioti
pp 14-16
The high prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the attention this diagnosis has received in the media and in popular culture has led to a situation where parents, teachers and social workers quite frequently recognise apparent symptoms of ADHD, despite being less familiar with symptoms of lesser-known diagnoses. As a result, it is not surprising that a very large number of referrals are made with the aim of investigating the possibility of ADHD.
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HADD
pp 17-17
The HADD Family Support Group has been in existence for more than 30 years. Our mission is to make life better for persons with ADHD and their families. We are based in Dublin and operate throughout the Republic of Ireland.HADD is a registered charity (No. 13614) that is run entirely by volunteers.
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Executive function as a candidate cognitive endophenotype
David Delany and Lorraine Boran
pp 18-21
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is characterised by severe inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity; autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in contrast, is characterised by social deficits, communication difficulties, stereotyped or repetitive behaviours and interests, and cognitive delays. ASD comprises three pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs); autism, Asperger’s syndrome, and PDD not otherwise specified.
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Giftedness and ADHD
Geoff Kewley and Hannah Wachnianin
pp 21-23
For practising clinicians and educators, the evaluation of a bright individual for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be fraught with difficulties. Many gifted people with ADHD gravitate towards the average, with their intellectual ability pulling them in one direction and their learning or concentration difficulties pulling them in the other – a phenomenon often referred to as a ‘dual diagnosis’. In others, coexisting conditions and/or the ability to ‘hyperfocus’ on interesting subjects can mask the underlying diagnosis. This article aims to help clarify some of the key difficulties surrounding giftedness in ADHD.
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