Is hyperactivity overrated?

Hyperactivity: Over-diagnosed?

Every year in Quebec, more and more children are getting the hyperactive label. Is there really an increase in the number of children who are hyperactive or is this phenomenon explained by other factors? According to Stephanie Deslauriers, psychoeducator,: “We’re all a little surprised by the increase in diagnoses in general, but I think there are several factors at play here. People are more aware of the need for early testing; parents, teachers and medical professionals are better informed. One could hypothesize that there are more cases, but that fact has not been proven. The tool psychiatrists use to diagnose the disorder has evolved significantly over time as well, as the understanding of the disorder increases, the definition widens to include more people which means that we can now diagnose adults who have never received help for their difficulties.”

Is my child hyperactive?

A hyperactive child begins to show signs as early as 2 to 3 years of age, but as children are often little balls of energy at that age anyway, they often receive a diagnosis later, when they start school around the age of 7.

But if the fact that your child acting like a tornado destroying everything on his way and seems to always have energy to spare automatically imply that he is hyperactive? Not necessarily as explained by Stephanie Deslauriers: “Other problems can sometimes be confused with hyperactivity. Sometimes, a child who experiences severe anxiety will show outwards signs that will be wrongly associated with hyperactivity. This is why it’s important, if you think your child is hyperactive, to receive a proper diagnosis after extensive testing to determine what is troubling your child and how to best help him.”

Symptoms

To receive a diagnosis of hyperactivity, symptoms must be present for a period of more than six months, your child has to have shown signs of hyperactivity from a young age and these symptoms must create behavioral, social and organizational problems in his daily life.

Symptoms of inattention:

• Your child can’t pay attention to details;
• He has difficulty staying attentive in class or when he is playing;
• He never seems to listen when spoken to;
• He doesn’t follow through, fails to complete homework or activities;
• He has trouble staying organized
• He avoids or complains when asked to perform tasks that require sustained mental activity;
• He often loses his toys;
• He is easily distracted by external factors;
• He is often forgetful.

Tips from our specialist

If your child has issues with being attentive, Stephanie Deslauriers suggests you give him some tips to manage his troubles. For example, you can divide the tasks you give him, remind him of the order in which he has to do things, ask him to repeat the instructions to make sure he understood. If what he is doing requires a lot of concentration, encourage him to take breaks to stretch or have a little snack before completing the task.

Symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsiveness:

• Your child is often moving their hands and feet or squirms in their chair;
• They often get up in situations where they are supposed to stay sitting;
• They run or climb excessively in inappropriate situations;
• They have trouble keeping quiet when they should;
• They have intense reactions;
• They have difficulty waiting for their turn;
• They often interrupt or impose their presence to others.

Ritalin: The controversy

Ritalin, a drug typically used to treat children who suffer from ADHD, typically raises concerns with parents. Even some professionals like the Ministries of Education, recreation and sports, Health and Social services and Family and Seniors felt the need to address the issue by taking an official position because of the dramatic record increase of prescriptions for Ritalin in the past years (just from 1997 to 2003, the number of prescriptions for Ritalin has jumped 55, and has continued to grow since!).

The Ministries recommend avoiding over-prescribing Ritalin, taking into account that the use of this medication may be desirable in some cases. What does Stephanie Deslauriers think? According to her, “Medication can be useful when used in conjunction with psycho-social care. The medication will help the child to see more clearly, reduce his distress to that he can be mentally prepared to find ways to manage his difficulties long term.”