ADD: What is It?

(Published June 1996 in The Taekwondo Reporter)

ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder, is a neurobiological disorder that affects three to five percent of all children. That's about one or two kids in the average classroom. It seems to affect around three times as many boys as girls, and it's not something that children outgrow. As they mature, somehow, people adjust their lives to it, but it does make childhood extremely difficult; for the child, as well as for those who love and care for them.

ADD has been around for some time but it wasn't until the early 1900's that it's symptoms were recognized as a disorder. Today the condition is most commonly referred to as Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity Disorder.

Children with ADD are unable to focus, to pay attention or to organize their activities as well as their peers. This may be due to a deficiency of neurotransmitters – chemicals that carry messages between the brain cells. If a child's brain cells can't communicate well with each other, then it's only natural that they'll find it difficult to focus on the task at hand or to organize themselves well enough to see it through to its completion.

Though there isn't a specific medical test to determine if a child has ADD, notable differences in chemical metabolism between children with the disorder and those without it have been discovered in several preliminary studies.

ADD is not a disease, it's a disorder, and there is no one specific cause associated with it. Our brains are composed of millions of cells that must communicate with each other in order for us to function. Anything that has an adverse affect on the central nervous system's development can interfere with an ability to concentrate. There are some specific factors that seem to be linked to ADD, such as:

HEREDITY - A child with ADD often has a biological relative with the disorder.

PRENATAL SITUATION - The mother's youthfulness, an extended pregnancy, toxemia, poor maternal health, fetal distress, congenital problems, fetal exposure to tobacco, alcohol or other drugs can all have a detrimental effect on the development of a child's brain.

HEAD INJURIES - Less than five percent of children diagnosed with ADD have any history of trauma to the head.

There have been many so-called causes for ADD that have been published in recent years, but that haven't been proven. Sugar and other dietary elements have not been found to be a contributing factor to ADD. Though children with ADD seem to have more of a problem with allergies, the allergies do not seem to be the cause of the disorder. The behavior of children with ADD cannot be attributed to neglect or poor discipline by their parents. Their unacceptable behavior is a result of how difficult these children are to discipline even by model parents.

So your child can't control his or her behavior; what can you do? The experts say that it's important that your child be provided with positive reinforcement and a consistent structure. This means that you must praise your child often, but only if it relates to proper behavior. The praise can be for what is generally considered normal behavior for most children; remember it is positive reinforcement. Often you need to give praise for actions that are just close to what you expected. Also, be sure to give praise immediately so that it is connected to the activity, and be specific as to why your child is being praised. You can even use rewards, not to pay for "not being bad", but as reinforcement for learning good behavior. In addition, you have to decide what actions will call for your attention and which ones you'll choose to ignore. Instead of scolding your child for unacceptable behavior, praise them when they do the opposite – the positive action. In fact, phrase your language as positive statements. For instance, tell your child what you want them to do, instead of telling them not to do something.

There has to be a consequence for bad behavior, if you want your child to understand what’s unacceptable. It needn’t be harsh, but it must be consistent to work. Use time outs or a loss of privilege to get the point across. Also, be sure to provide the consequence immediately. If you tell your child something repeatedly, they’ll learn not to obey until you get upset. When this kind of action is called for, don’t engage in needless conversation. Explain what rule was broken and what will be the consequence.

A consistent structure for your child is essential. Since they posses an inability to organize themselves, you must provide a schedule, that is: regular times to eat, sleep, do homework, etcetera. It’s then important that you stick to the schedule. When your child has school work or household chores to attend to, give them instructions for one task at a time, have them repeat the instructions to you, complete the task and then check with you for their next instruction.

Your child needs extracurricular activities that will strengthen their self-esteem, coordination, visual-motor integration and impulse control. Along with some other sports, taekwondo is highly recommended as an activity that will teach children to focus. The emphasis that taekwondo training places on concentration and repetition of techniques provides ADD children with the structure that they require. The two accompanying articles from the mothers of children with ADD attest to what taekwondo, along with the required structure at home and at school, can do to help children overcome the obstacles that have been placed before them.

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