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I am writing because I need to know more about AD/HD in children. My daughter who is nine seems to have a lot of the signs of having AD/HD.
She is constantly irritable and always resists authority. If she does not get her way she is more than likely to throw a tantrum. She has hurt her self on many occasions. Her temper is directed at every one in the household. She kicks and bangs doors, shouts and screams. The other people in the home are finding her very hard to be around.
Can you please help by telling me more about AD/HD so that I can get some sort of understanding as to what my daughter is going through.
Thank you
P. M.
Dear P. M.,
In girls with AD/HD, there is sometimes a pattern of intense emotional reactivity at home – being defiant, argumentative, and intensely over-reactive to pain, frustration, and conflict. Many of these girls do not show these sorts of behaviors outside of the home -- in the school setting, for example. This pattern sometimes emerges from the stress and tension of dealing with the challenges of AD/HD during the school day. They may be perfectly well behaved at school, due to great effort on their part, and then fall apart when they arrive home where it is “safer” to unleash their pent-up frustration.
You haven’t told us much about the “signs of having AD/HD” that you’ve observed in your daughter, so we can’t be sure that AD/HD is truly part of the picture. The behaviors you are describing are behaviors that are sometimes seen in girls with AD/HD, but are also seen in girls with other disorders. For example, children with emerging bipolar disorder may have rapid, intense mood shifts and extreme, emotionally reactive behavior. Bipolar disorder in children commonly coexists with AD/HD. Such behaviors are also seen in children who have what is called Oppositional/Defiant Disorder – which can exist with or without AD/HD.
It is very important to have a full evaluation of your daughter to better understand exactly what disorder or disorders are contributing to this very difficult behavior pattern. Family history is very important as part of this assessment. Bipolar disorder and AD/HD, among other conditions, tend to run in families. You’ll need to get information from her teacher. It’s important to know how she functions in class. Is she better controlled there? Is she able to keep up with assigned class-work? Is she able to get along with other children in the school setting, or are similar intense conflicts occurring there as well?
Correct diagnosis is essential for treatment to be successful. Behavior management programs, for example, aren’t likely to be effective if her underlying problem is untreated bipolar disorder. If these behaviors occur at home, but not in other settings, then it’s important to evaluate patterns of family interaction that may be increasing the intensity of her outbursts. Underlying anxiety must also be considered. Sometimes children can look angry when an underlying anxiety is driving their reactive, irritable behavior.
Good luck in finding the answers that can help you find the keys to helping your daughter. The sooner she is assessed and appropriately treated, the better for your daughter as well as the family as a whole.
Next: Latest Research - Long-Acting Stimulant Treatment of AD/HD in Girls >>
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