The “attention deficit” that plagues schoolchildren

  Attention deficit is one of the three major symptoms of ADHD in children. In the past, parents and teachers have focused on the hyperactive and impulsive aspects of ADHD, but have paid little attention to attention deficits. In fact, children with ADHD tend to have more attention deficit symptoms. The impact of attention deficits on children’s schooling may be more direct and harmful.  In one hospital, the results of a questionnaire survey and an attention deficit diagnostic instrument were analyzed, and of the 520 children diagnosed with ADHD, 85% had significant attention deficits, while only 30% had significant hyperactivity or impulsivity. In Europe and the United States, ADHD has been named “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder”, or “Attention Deficit Disorder”, which emphasizes the importance of attention deficit in the development of ADHD. At present, the name “childhood hyperactivity disorder” still used in China seems to be out of date.  Children with attention deficit disorder have short attention spans in class, sometimes less than five minutes, and are easily distracted by external stimuli. When doing homework because they can not maintain attention results in a very slow speed, some play while doing, should be completed in ten minutes of homework, sometimes take an hour or two still can not finish, and even when the test is too late to do the questions or the phenomenon of missing questions. Lack of patience in doing things, unwilling to engage in things that require sustained attention or unwilling to answer more tedious questions. Often seems to listen when spoken to directly and is always distracted. The child often loses track of learning aids, for example, and forgets things easily. Children with attention deficit disorder do not have a low IQ, but they have varying degrees of learning difficulties or disabilities.  In the past, it was believed that attention deficit disorder was a self-limiting disorder that could be corrected by psychotherapy and would disappear on its own as the child grew older. However, after more than 20 years of follow-up, some scholars found that only 1/3 of the children with attention deficit disorder can be cured spontaneously, and 2/3 of the children with attention deficit disorder can continue to have symptoms into adulthood. The difference between treatment and no treatment, early treatment and late treatment can be significant in terms of efficacy and prognosis. If not actively treated, it will affect the success rate of future education, employment and career. Therefore, it should not be left unattended or left to nature. The current consensus is that children with attention deficit should be treated early with a combination of medication, psychotherapy, educational guidance and diet therapy. It is observed that as long as the diagnosis is clear, the dosage of medication is appropriate, and a certain course of treatment is achieved, most children with attention deficit can achieve more satisfactory results. The best results are usually achieved when treatment is started in the 1st to 3rd grade of elementary school. Therefore, parents should pay attention to the fact that if your child has any of the above-mentioned attention deficits, you should seek the help of a psychologist to diagnose and treat them as soon as possible, so as not to miss the best time to treat them.