Children psychology
ADHD
How are ADHD kids doing today.
I chose Drífu Björk Guðmundsdóttir doctor in clinical psychology and board member in board of ADHD association I find her with google.
I ask her few question about ADHD: Attention - deficit and hyper activity disorder.
1.How long does it take to learn psychology with your specialization?
To be a psychologist in Iceland you have to study three year BA degree and two year masterclass but now there has been added another year as candidate where you are in occupational education at the subject you are in and a lot of guidance before working more independently. I had three year additional study after Masterclass were I did a Doctor’s degree, made an investigation and was taught partial classes at the University at Árósar.
2. Do you think there is increment in diagnostic in ADHD?
That have been increment in diagnostic at ADHD but I think it’s because more girls are getting diagnostic, more boys how are just with attention –deficit but not have big problem in hyperactivity. For long time was this kid’s little forgotten in the school system because they was not disturbing the lesson but didn’t paying attention in class and did nothing to participate, just sit in their own world. It also have more grown people diagnostic with ADHD and often because their children had diagnostic and they could see themselves and their own school attendance reflexing at their kid’s. Another reason for this addition is because people are more aware about ADHD and different shape of it, nowadays it is not so much shame as it was before to get help.
3. Are there any new methods to take care of children with ADHD?
Many approaches of upbringing are used to work with indecent behavior children with ADHD like rewarding positive behavior and tried to minimize negative attention like scolding. Then it’s tried to minimize aggravation in the child’s environment and minimize stress. In USA are ADHD coaches are new approach for ADHD and now there is also few of them working in Iceland. Their part is to assist people to make goals and think about
Pros and cons of changing their behavior, look at obstacles, organize and make smaller goals. Also is mindfulness coming very big in many therapies and serves the purpose to reach relaxation and minimize stress. None the less medication often is the best therapy for the main symptoms and are also the cheapest therapy in Iceland. Often parents think changes in diet helps their kids but that depends on the child but there are no researches prove that diet affects ADHD symptoms because it seems to help some but not others.
4. Do you think there is still significant prejudice towards medication like Conserta and Ritalin or are people starting to admit their necessity?
There are still significant prejudice towards ADHD medication which is based on the fact that drug addicts abuse these drugs and they’re very popular. Rehabs and doctors have been trying to reduce accessibility to these drugs to make sure this doesn’t happen and this affects the people how need them and aren’t abusing them. The fact is that no one gets high from the dozes doctors prescribe and research shows that children with ADHD that use these medications from a young age are less likely to become drug addicts than children that haven’t gotten therapy via medication that reduces hyperactivity and calms the mind.
5. Do you think the school system is getting better in meeting the needs of children with ADHD?
Schools are getting better and better in meeting the needs of children with ADHD then they were ten years ago but you can always do better. New research shows that children with ADHD study better if they are on the move and effective research has shown this. If these test results is repeated you could say that we’ve been holding children with ADHD down by making them sit still and listen in class like most schools make you do. How knows what things will be in the future. We are always learning more which is what makes psychology so much fun – we will never know everything.