$Unique_ID{PAR00105}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Medical Advice:  Hyperactivity}
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$Author{
Editors of Consumer Guide
Chasnoff, Ira J}
$Subject{Hyperactivity Hyperactive Inability sit still quiet active tendency
tendencies hyperkinesis minimal brain dysfunction stimuli filter disorder
annoying destructive behavior neurologist nervous system disorders specialist
artificial coloring colorings flavoring flavorings preservative preservatives
misbehavior dextroamphetamine methylphenidate pemoline}
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Your Child:  A Medical Guide


Hyperactivity


     Quick Reference

     SYMPTOM
     - Inability to sit still or be quiet for more than a very short period

     HOME CARE
     - Hyperactivity always requires professional evaluation and treatment.

     PRECAUTIONS
     - Do not confuse a child's natural tendency to be active with true
       hyperactivity.
     - Never accept a diagnosis of hyperactivity from anyone except a
       professional.
     - Do not try to deal with hyperactivity at home.  It always requires
       medical assessment and treatment.
     - Remember that the hyperactive child is not misbehaving; the behavior is
       involuntary.
     - If a child over the age of two suddenly becomes much more active than
       usual, look for causes in the child's environment; true hyperactivity
       is present from infancy.
     - A child who is overactive with one family member but not others is not
       hyperactive.
     - A hyperactive child may need to take medication for extended periods.
       The child may also need special schooling or counseling.


     All healthy children are active--frequently more active than the adults
in their lives wish them to be.  Some children are extremely lively and always
on the go.  Of such children, however, only a small handful (1 to 10 percent)
are truly hyperactive.  The term is used very freely, and in common use its
true medical definition is distorted.  In fact, hyperactivity (also known as
hyperkinesis) is a specific clinical condition known as minimal brain
dysfunction, which makes a child incapable of being quiet and still for more
than a few moments.  Hyperactivity may be due to late or faulty development of
the brain centers that filter incoming stimuli (things that the child sees,
hears, smells, touches, or tastes) and enable the child to react appropriately
to these stimuli.
     Sometimes children who are either neglected or raised in an overly
permissive environment exhibit behavior that closely mimics hyperactivity.
These children may have normally developed brain centers, but may have been
deprived of the social training that teaches children to control their
behavior.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

     An extremely hyperactive child seems to be constantly in motion.  The
child cannot sit still (for instance, to listen to a story or watch
television) for more than a few seconds or minutes.  The child's behavior may
be annoying or destructive, but the child is not deliberately misbehaving--he
or she cannot control the hyperactive behavior.  An experienced pediatrician
or neurologist (a specialist in nervous system disorders) may be able to
recognize a severely overactive child at a glance.  Many cases, however, are
more difficult to pinpoint, and it may require a number of professionals to
confirm the diagnosis.

HOME CARE

     Until the hyperactive child has been professionally evaluated, home
treatment cannot be undertaken.  Once the diagnosis has been confirmed, the
family of the hyperactive child is given specific recommendations tailored to
the child's needs.  Removing from the child's diet foods that contain
artificial colorings, flavorings, or preservatives is believed by some
specialists to lessen the incidence of hyperactive behavior.  However, others
feel that the special attention given to a child whose diet is being
controlled, not the diet itself, probably accounts for any improvement in
behavior.  Ask your doctor before you initiate any changes at home.

PRECAUTIONS

  -  True hyperactivity is present from infancy.  If your normally active
     child is more than two years old and suddenly becomes overactive, look
     for clues in the child's environment.
  -  Never accept a diagnosis of hyperkinesis from anyone but a trained,
     skilled, and experienced professional.
  -  Remember that an accurate diagnosis usually requires a team approach
     involving all those who care for the child--parents, teachers, doctors,
     and other professionals.
  -  Don't mistake ordinary misbehavior for hyperactivity.  If a child is
     overactive with one family member but not with the others, the child is
     not hyperactive.

MEDICAL TREATMENT

     If hyperkinesis is suspected, your child should have a complete medical
examination, including vision and hearing tests.  The doctor will take a
detailed account of the child's medical background, evaluate school reports,
and usually recommend a series of tests to be carried out by a psychologist.
The doctor may also try various medications, such as dextroamphetamine,
methylphenidate, and pemoline.
     Both you and the child's teachers will be asked to keep the doctor
informed of changes in the child's behavior once a program of treatment has
been established.  The hyperkinetic child may need special educational
placement; also, because hyperkinetic children often have emotional problems
resulting from poor social relationships at home and at school, counseling may
be indicated.

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