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Attention Deficit Disorder results in inattention, problems staying focused on required tasks.
ADD results in inattention, problems staying focused on required tasks.
Our therapists have over 15 years experience.

Information
It is estimated that 3 to 10 percent of the population have ADD

The disorder is said to be present more often in boys than girls (3:1)

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Calm them down - complete activities that are calming and relaxing, like gentle rocking, calming music, or wrapping your child in a snuggly blanket.

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Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
In the past, this diagnosis was known as hyper kinetic syndrome, minimal brain dysfunction,
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder or Attention Deficit Disorder - residual type (adult). It is a syndrome usually characterized by serious and persistent difficulties resulting in:

Inattention: problems staying on required tasks
Hyperactive: "always on the go" (may also be hypoactive)
Impulsivity: acting before one thinks
Social Functioning: problems with family or peers (poor social skills)

The cause of ADD remains unknown. Environmental factors, including parenting techniques, diet and toxins, appear to affect the disorder, but they do not cause it. Biochemical interactions, related to the brain's neurotransmitters especially the dopamine and neurotonin pathways are involved. The basic dysfunction of the disorder lies in the genetic makeup of the individual. ADD seems to run in families, but the pattern of inheritance is not clear. Prenatal risks and birth complications may be implicated in some cases. For some, diet (sensitivity to certain types of food additives, dyes, artificial flavors) and medications given to treat other health concerns) can elicit and make worse the ADD problems.

Symptoms
Excessive fidgets or squirms
Easily distracted
Difficulty following instructions
Difficulty sustaining instructions
Often interrupts
Often talks excessively
Symptoms must have persisted for at least 6 months.
Some of these symptoms need to have been present as a child, at 7 years or younger.
The symptoms must exist in at least two separate settings (i.e. at school and at home)

Clinical experience has shown that the most effective treatment for ADD is a combination of medication (when necessary), therapy or counseling to learn coping skills and adaptive behaviors and ADD coaching for adults. Stimulant medication (Ritalin, Dexedrine, Adderall) are all commonly used because they have been most affective for most people with ADD, but they may have side effects which has created controversy.

It is estimated that 3 to 10 percent of the population have ADD
The disorder is said to be present more often in boys than girls (3:1)

At the current time, scientists are attempting to identify genetic factors that cause ADD. If one person in the he family is diagnosed with ADD there is a 25% - 35% probability that another family member has ADD, compared to a 4% - 6% probability for someone in the general population.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD)
Unlike other disruptive behavior disorders, ADHD is believed to have a neurological basis rather than a basis in social learning. It includes a cluster of behavioral limitations that may include a short attention span, poor control (i.e. poor safety awareness), difficulty completing tasks, high levels of motor activity, poor emotional stability and poor interpersonal awareness. This disorder is especially difficult to diagnose objectively because the clinical manifestations of the disorder are likely to be modified by the age and gender of the client. ADHD is also difficult to identify: because children with this disorder may not exhibit attention deficits and may behave relatively normally in situations that are highly motivating to them.

Children with ADHD have cognitive deficits that impair social learning and affect the child’s ability to mediate behavior. Many children with ADHD have secondary psychosocial diagnoses. Secondary labels like coruiuet disorder or overanxious disorder may result at the child's attempts to compensate for the hyperactivity and limited ability to attend.



To gain more information concerning ADD or to gather more information, contact our offices at:

Therapy Solutions, Inc.
7051 W. Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19142
Tel
215.492.1079

Send an email to Diane Hardie, Early Intervention Coordinator

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