ADHD Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue

through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity). Is a psychiatric disorder of theneurodevelopmental type. Causes Scientists are not sure what causes ADHD, although many studies suggest that genes play a large role. Like many other illnesses, ADHD probably results from a combination of factors. In addition to genetics, researchers are looking at possible environmental factors, and are studying how brain injuries, nutrition, and the social environment might contribute to ADHD. Environmental factors. Studies suggest a potential link between cigarette smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy and ADHD in children. Brain injuries. hildren who have suffered a brain injury may show some behaviors similar to those of ADHD. Sugar The children who received sugar showed no different behavior or learning capabilities than those who received the sugar substitute. Food additives. Recent British research indicates a possible link between consumption of certain food additives like artificial colors or preservatives, and an increase in activity Signs & Symptoms Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD Children who have symptoms of inattention may:

Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another Have difficulty focusing on one thing Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities Not seem to listen when spoken to Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly

Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others Struggle to follow instructions. Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity may:

Fidget and squirm in their seats Talk nonstop Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time Be constantly in motion Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities. Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may:

Be very impatient Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games Often interrupt conversations or others' activities. Treatments Currently available treatments focus on reducing the symptoms of ADHD and improving functioning. Treatments include medication, various types of psychotherapy, education or training, or a combination of treatments. Treatments can relieve many of the disorder's symptoms, but there is no cure.

Complications

ADHD can make life difficult for children. Children with ADHD:

Often struggle in the classroom, which can lead to academic failure and judgment by other children and adults Tend to have more accidents and injuries of all kinds than children who don't have the disorder Have poor self-esteem Are more likely to have trouble interacting with and being accepted by peers and adults Are at increased risk of alcohol and drug abuse and other delinquent behavior

Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific reading disability due to a defect in the brain's processing of graphic symbols. Dyslexia is a learning disability that alters the way the brain processes written material. This language processing disorder can hinder reading, writing, spelling and sometimes even speaking. Dyslexia is not a sign of poor intelligence or laziness. It is also not the result of impaired vision. Children and adults with dyslexia simply have a neurological disorder that causes their brains to process and interpret information differently. Symptoms of dyslexia may include expressive language problems or disabilities. When reading aloud, for example, people with dyslexia may reverse words or parts of words. A dyslexic child may read the word "bad" as if it were "dab." Word order and sounds may also be confused, by dyslexics, and words are often omitted or slurred over. "The dog chased the cat down the street" could become "the gob chaled on the treats." Dyslexics may also reverse letters and words in written language. Mirror writing, a complete reversal of words, is sometimes present. Dyslexia symptoms may also include difficulty with receptive language. Dyslexic people may not correctly perceive sounds or words. Whether reading aloud or silently or listening to spoken language, dyslexic students often cannot recall important details of what has been said or read. I n speaking and listening, students with Dyslexia have difficulty pronouncing words, especially those with more than one syllable. Frequently people with dyslexia cannot repeat phrases that are spoken to them. Difficulty following instructions is also a symptom of dyslexia. Homonyms, synonyms, rhymes, and idioms are difficult for dyslexics. Dyslexics may also have problems with metaphors, similes, and other symbolic speech. Causes Dyslexia tends to run in families, and researchers have identified the genes that may be responsible for the condition.These inherited traits appear to affect parts of the brain concerned with language. Scientists have also found specific brain differences involved in dyslexia. Brain images show that dyslexia results from certain structural differences in the brain, particularly in the left hemisphere. Brains of people with dyslexia show very little activity in areas known to be highly important in linking the written form of words with their phonetic components. So in order to read, people with dyslexia must develop alternative neurological pathways.

Symptoms Dyslexia is defined as a language-based learning disability. That means people with dyslexia may have problems reading, spelling, writing, and pronouncing words. Here are some early signs that are characteristic of people with a learning difference like dyslexia: Language and reading skills. Gets dizzy, headache, or stomachache when reading; doesn't read for pleasure; shows transpositions, additions, substitutions, or reversals in letters, numbers, and words when reading or writing; spells phonetically and inconsistently; has difficulty putting thoughts into words; may stutter. Math/numbers skills. Has difficulty learning to tell time or being on time; can do arithmetic but not word problems; has trouble grasping algebra or higher math; poor memory for sequences; thinks using images or intuition, not words. Behavior. May be disorderly or disruptive in class; is easily frustrated about school, reading, writing, or math; may wet the bed beyond appropriate age; shows dramatic increase in difficulties under time pressure or emotional stress.
Signs and symptoms that a young child may be at risk of dyslexia include: Late talking Learning new words slowly Difficulty rhyming

Once your child is in school, dyslexia signs and symptoms may become more apparent, including: Reading at a level well below the expected level for the age of your child Problems processing and understanding what he or she hears Difficulty comprehending rapid instructions Trouble following more than one command at a time Problems remembering the sequence of things Difficulty seeing (and occasionally hearing) similarities and differences in letters and words An inability to sound out the pronunciation of an unfamiliar word

Seeing letters or words in reverse ("b" for "d" or "saw" for "was," for example) this is common in young children, but may be more pronounced in children with dyslexia

Difficulty spelling Trouble learning a foreign language Dyslexia symptoms in teens and adults are similar to those in children. Though early intervention is beneficial for dyslexia treatment, it's never too late to seek help for dyslexia. Some common dyslexia symptoms in teens and adults include:

Difficulty reading Trouble understanding jokes or idioms Reading aloud Difficulty with time management Difficulty summarizing a story Difficulty learning a foreign language Difficulty memorizing

Treatment Dyslexia is treated through education, and the sooner intervention begins, the better. Psychological testing will help your child's teachers develop a suitable teaching program. Teachers may use techniques involving hearing, vision and touch to improve reading skills. Helping a child use several senses to learn for example, by listening to a taped lesson and tracing with a finger the shape of the letters used and the words spoken can help him or her process the information. A reading specialist will focus on helping your child: Learn to recognize the smallest sounds that make up words (phonemes) Understand that letters and strings of letters represent these sounds Comprehend what he or she is reading Read aloud

Build a vocabulary

Complications Dyslexia can lead to a number of problems, including:

Trouble learning. Because reading is a skill basic to most other school subjects, a child who has dyslexia is at a disadvantage in most classes and may have trouble keeping up with peers.

Social problems. Left untreated, dyslexia may lead to low self-esteem, behavior problems, anxiety, aggression, and withdrawal from friends, parents and teachers.

Problems as adults. The inability to read and comprehend can prevent a child from reaching his or her potential as the child grows up. This can have long-term educational, social and economic consequences. Children who have dyslexia are at increased risk of having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and vice versa. ADHD can cause difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior, which can make dyslexia harder to treat.