Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Information for carers

Transcription

1 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Information for carers

2 What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It affects the brain but not intelligence. ADHD can affect people in a number of ways, but it mostly means that people: Fidget (hyperactive and restless) Become easily distracted (inattentive) Do things without thinking (impulsive). Children with ADHD might: Have lots of energy, move about a lot and find it hard to sit still Find it really hard to concentrate or keep focused on a task Lose things and be disorganised and untidy Struggle to do their schoolwork because they can t concentrate Find it very hard to carry out tasks which involve waiting Say or do something they haven t thought about first Have a reputation for being naughty and not doing what they ve been told. ADHD is the most common behavioural disorder in children. We re not sure what causes it but we think it might be due to a chemical imbalance in the brain and that it might run in families. As people grow up, they often find that their symptoms change so their health needs change too. Speak a lot and distract other people Interrupt conversations Find it hard to remember instructions Get bored easily

3 What can we do for ADHD? We follow NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) guidelines and they tell us what the best and most useful treatments are. If a child is given a diagnosis of mild ADHD, their parents may be offered parent training and support and targeted education strategies would be helpful at school. If they have more problems and moderate/severe ADHD we will offer parent training, education strategies and medication. Parenting There are many different parenting courses on offer that are great for giving parents different ideas. These tend to focus on reducing difficult or challenging behaviours and improving attachment and bonding in families. Westminster CAMHS can offer really helpful tips and advice to help people looking after children with ADHD. There is also some support in the local community. Medicine The medicine we prescribe is usually a stimulant medicine called methylphenidate. This tends to be the most well tolerated and effective medicine we have. Sometimes, other medicines are more suitable and we have a number of others we can trial. These medicines work by enhancing arousal in the prefrontal cortex in the brain (where we make our decisions). When this medicine is given, it makes information processing more efficient so the ADHD symptoms like inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity are improved. There are no known serious side effects to ADHD medicine but some children may have headaches for a few weeks when they start taking it and it can make people less hungry during the day. The medicine is safe to use and works after just one dose. Once the day is over, the chemicals can no longer be found in the blood so people don t get used to it or need to take more and more.

4 When we decide to treat ADHD with medicine, we may do a medication trial and try a few different doses. With feedback from school and home, we can properly assess how well the medicine works and which dose is best. When ADHD medicine is used, we check on the children a few times a year to take their height, weight, pulse and blood pressure. We also write to their school to see how they re doing and speak to them and their families so we can properly evaluate how well the medicine works. We may ask for questionnaires to be completed now and again so we can see their progress. Five great tips when parenting children with ADHD 1. Positivity: Your child might have been told they re naughty or difficult for a long time and they might not be doing very well at school. Use lots of positive language to build their self-esteem and make them feel better about themselves when they do something well or are very good, tell them how great they are. 2. Praise and rewards: The best rewards are attention, warmth and love. A reward chart or special trip can back up a pattern of good behaviour. Sometimes it really helps if the child can have a say in what reward they get. Make sure this is set before time and proportionate.

5 3. Routine: Setting times for getting up, meals, and bath and bed time means everyone knows what is due and when. Routine creates structure and makes children feel safe and secure. Structure is also good when children have difficulty remembering tasks or what order to do things in. 4. Boundaries: There needs to be clear boundaries so children know what they can and can t do. Establish rules and tell children what is expected. Sometimes it helps if the rules are visible somewhere in the home so everyone can see it and be reminded of the rules. 5. Consistency: Once you have made a house rule, stick to it! Positive, effective parenting won t work unless every person works to the same rule, every time. If you want more information about ADHD or anything in this leaflet, please contact your CAMHS clinician: We have a special website for children and young people that explains CAMHS and some of the issues we work with. You can find it at: camhs.cnwl.nhs.uk Where to find us Westminster Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service 7a Woodfield Road London W9 2NW Tel: westminstercamhs.cnwl@ nhs.net Tell us, we re listening Our staff want to know how they are doing. Tell us what you think at and then we ll know what we have to do.

6 This document is also available in other languages, large print, Braille, and audio format upon request. Please Arabic Farsi Bengali Dokumentigaan waxaa xitaa lagu heli karaa luqado kale, daabacad far waawayn, farta indhoolaha (Braille) iyo hab dhegaysi ah markii la soo codsado. Somali Mediante solicitação, este documento encontra-se também disponível noutras línguas, num formato de impressão maior, em Braille e em áudio. Portuguese Tamil Este documento también está disponible y puede solicitarse en otros idiomas, letra grande, braille y formato de audio. Spanish Dokument ten jest na życzenie udostępniany także w innych wersjach językowych, w dużym druku, w alfabecie Braille a lub w formacie audio. Polish Gujarati Be belge istenirse, başka dillerde, iri harflerle, Braille ile (görme engelliler için) ve ses kasetinde de temin edilebilir. Turkish Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Stephenson House, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL. Tel: Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust Ref: 0962_JAN2018 January 2018