Dr. P.V.Saiprasada Rao

If you have noticed your child to be restless and anxious all the time, it might look cute as the child is highly energetic, but it could be a cause for concern at the same time. It is not normal and the child could be having ADHD that is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As the name suggests, it is a disorder with deficiency of attention and in which the child is always hyperactive.

ADHD is a disorder in which the symptoms usually show up before the age of seven. It is characterized by a group of behavioral symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. The impact of these symptoms is felt extensively where his overall self-esteem is affected, be it at home, preschool or school, academics or extracurricular activities and in interpersonal relationships.

The most common symptoms, which are almost diagnostic of ADHD are:

1. Inability to hold attention: The child's attention span is very short and it is very difficult to keep them engaged on one particular thing.
2. Increased restlessness: The child would be extremely restless and gets distracted easily.
3. Fidgeting: The child would be seen constantly fidgeting with his fingers.

The following are the less common ones:

1. Learning disability is rare, but can happen. However, the good news is that it does not affect the child's intelligence.
2. Sleep disorders
3. Difficulty in following directions
4. Poor executive functioning skills
5. Disorganization, which can lead to poor motor coordination and impaired movements
6. ADHD kids tend to forget things very easily and need help with coordinating movements
7. The child suffering from ADHD could easily tire and/or feel lethargic with very low energy levels. This can lead to the child procrastinating things and not wanting to do things on priority basis
8. These children also have difficulties with fine motor and cognitive skills and so there is delay in their overall participation in games.

While these are the pressing symptoms of ADHD, occupational therapy can play a significant role in managing the child in the following ways. As a first step, the caregiver should have a detailed discussion with the school staff and any other people with whom the child interacts significantly.

This will help identify areas that need support from an Occupational Therapy, which are the following:

1. Support with gross and/or fine motor skills
2. Support with improving handwriting
3. Support with engaging in playing sports and games
4. Support in engaging in social activities
5. Improving sensory processing difficulties
6. Improving visual perception
7. Support in adapting to the environment
8. Teaching strategies to participate in various social and academic activities

So, while an ADHD child is definitely a cause for concern, proper support from family can help manage the condition.

The role of parents in language development of children is a primary one. Basically, it will be a one way communication as babies will not respond, but that should not deter you from speaking to them. It has been shown that talking to children early on helps them to talk faster and learn more words. The number of words a child hears is directly proportional to the amount of vocabulary he/she will be able to master.

6 ways to help your baby learn speaking:

1. Let them listen a lot: Children learn speaking by listening first. So more and more words they will listen, so do they will speak. Make sure your child comes in contact with children in the peer group and plays with them as with the help of their friends they can learn many words. 
2. Read a book: You should start reading to your child as early as possible. The type of book is not as important as you may use, various touch and feel books such as graphic novels. Initially, you may start with board books and then move on to picture books and finally to story books. It helps in increasing the child's vocabulary.
3. Talk as much as you can: Part of a child's ears and brain that respond to sound are developed since birth, so even though talking to your baby may not make much sense, talking to them enhances their development of speech. The infant absorbs the words which facilitates speaking.
4. Look for cues: If the child is interested in something such as a book or a toy, then engage with the child on that subject. Encourage him/her to ask questions and interact as much as possible. These interactions help in enhancing the child's language skills.
5. Limit television: Using television to teach vocabulary to your child is not as effective as talking directly. The primary reason is that characters in television do not react to your child's cues. This does not allow the child interact, which results in reduced language learning.
6. Treat ear infections early: It is important to treat ear infections early as this causes hearing problems which in turn delays language learning. Consulting a pediatrician to get treatment for ear infections of your child is advisable. You should see to it that the child is being administered medications at regular intervals.