Living with ADD - what to expect

Even though the existence of ADD has never been firmly confirmed, and it is still more of a guess at a diagnosis than a real firm and solid one, child psychiatrists love tossing the word around as if it were the latest medical craze.

Whatever the case may be, a child diagnosed with ADD may not have the slightest of clues what his or her life will look like from then on. Furthermore, the child is also clueless of how the symptoms will manifest themselves or how "the disorder" will affect and in turn be affected by aging.

What are ADD and ADHD?

These are two similar disorders which interfere with a child's learning abilities as well as his or her ability to pay attention in general. A good point to note would be that these are not disabilities in the learning process even though they may be present alongside a learning disability. The difference between the two is that a learning disability is a neurological condition which hinders the child's learning skills, whereas ADD and ADHD infiltrate all areas of the child's life. And this not only includes school but also: family, friends and team work and team sports.

A child with ADD and ADHD may typically and frequently feel: aggressive and violent, withdrawn, anxious and depressed. He or she may also suffer from low self-esteem, or even become the class' clown or even bully.

So what's to be done?

A kid "suffering from ADD" will most likely be inhibited from paying close attention to details, will have some trouble in remaining immobile for extents of time and will almost always be fidgeting. Additionally, the inability to follow through complete tasks will also be present.

This is why there are a number of skills and ADD-ridden child may find helpful in learning in order to overcome the previously mentioned inhibitions. One such skill would be the one of utilizing an organizer in order to keep things in order and manageable. Book calendars may be effective, but they are also severely outdated. This is why digital organizers and PA's should be preferred.

These devices work wonders for a person's organization skills, and teaching a ADD-ridden child how to use them would be quite worth the while.

The use of schedules and routines should be employed in just as an equal amount. This is because the child will likely and inherently become forgetful as well as scatter-minded.

Another good way of dealing with the problem would be seeking support from others of the like. This is because when these problems are discussed with friends and family, they may not prove as understanding as other people with ADD.