e-Health: How to make the difference between a child really hyperactive or turbulent?
Dr. Marie France Leheuzey:A child is a really hyperactive child with a set of symptoms is the primary attentional deficit that is to saydifficulty in supporting its attention, To concentrate and be attentive. This attentional deficit is the core of the symptoms which may join motor hyperactivity (agitation) and impulsiveness. The hyperactive child therefore has difficulties in school because he does not the instructions given in class. At home, parents have the impression that nothing is listening and is not obedient because, again, his attention is fleeting. Impulsivity is manifested by the fact that the child interrupts the other, passing quickly from one uncompleted activity to another.
There are forms of hyperactivity or agitation motor predominates, forms where the attentional disorder is prevalent and there are mixed forms.
The turbulent child moves, but does not suffer fromdeficit attentionnel.
e-health: At what age and who can we turn to bring a possible diagnosis of hyperactivity?
Dr. Marie France Leheuzey:Most frequently, children are seen from the age of 6 when entering first grade because the learning of elementary school require long periods of attention and a disciplined attitude. Therefore, the diagnosis is oftenfrom school age. However, we can make the diagnosis in children that age, ie in kindergarten from the age of 3-4 years. For some children identify their difficulties before, butdiagnosis is difficult.
The diagnosis of hyperactivity is a medical diagnosis, the doctor is there to give a first opinion and if it finds that the child has features suggesting a hyperactivity of the general practitioner or pediatrician address child to a specialist. Specialists hyperactivity in France arethe neuropediatricians and child psychiatrists(in private and hospital).
e-Health: What are the treatments and their dangers?
Dr. Marie France Leheuzey:The treatment of the hyperactive child is amultipleHelp to the family, child psychotherapy, school organization or psychomotor rehabilitation therapy in some cases. If the intensity of the warrants, and no against-indications, drug treatment can be prescribed. Currently, there is only one drug approved in France to treat hyperactivity, themethylphenidate (Ritalin). It is effective in more than three-quarters of cases, it improves attentional abilities of children and therefore his social life, family and school.
Side effects are possible: loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, headache and abdominal pain. However, these disorders are mild for most children. In some cases, the drug may aggravate or contribute to the emergence of tics.
Finally,serious adverse events are exceptional(hallucinations).
In the long term, there is no dependence on the drug and no drug abuse methylphenidate.
e-Health: What advice would you give to parents to help their child in everyday life?
Dr. Marie France Leheuzey:It must first diagnosis of hyperactivity is well established so that parents understand that this is not lazy or evil spirit, that their child is not character or bad.
Parents can participate intherapeutic groupswhich offers advice for managing the daily.
In all cases, we must learn to be simple and direct directives addressed to the child to be obeyed. They must also help the child find strategies to work through short sequences and allow it to distract between two sessions or tasks' boring '. Instead of punishment, there mustencourage positive behavior in itsto enhance it. Indeed, the hyperactive child, and often blamed for, considered a bad rascal ', has a bad image of him and can develop signs of depression. It is important thatparents accompany the child in a positive way.
