In my 17 years of practicing Neurofeedback (EEG-Biofeedback) in Orange County,CA  for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), mild Autism, chronic Anxiety, chronic Depression, and Sleep Disorders , I have heard these problems described by a wide variety of terms and phrases other than the above.  What’s in a name?  Well, in some cases… a lot.  We, as people, and in some cases, our situations, are often defined by the language we use.  In the case of conditions that are treatable, this language may determine the help that people get, or don’t get, and the judgments (erroneous?) that are made about them.

In regards to ADHD, the terms used to describe these children and their behavior often determines their self-concept, and how others see them.  This, in turn, may determine which doors are opened to them and which are closed, what they believe they can and cannot do, and, therefore, what their future will be.  In some cases these terms may actually be accurate.  In other cases, the wrong words may be used because of a lack of awareness of the proper terminology.

Approximately 85% of ADHD is genetic and, as in the past, this disorder was unknown and many parents of ADHD children may apply the same self-limiting terms to their children as they themselves lived in the shadow of.  However, since the language used may determine so much for these children, it is important to do reliable testing and/or treatment to find out what is really going on.  One form of effective, drug and side-effect treatment involves Neurofeedback.  During the process of the therapy, patients re-train control mechanisms of the brain that deal with concentration and/or hyperactivity.  Unlike other forms of ADHD treatment, re-training of the brain is permanent once the program is completed.

There are three sub-types of ADHD: Primarily Inattentive, Hyperactive-Impulsive, and Combined Form (combination of two previous sub-types).  Different terms may be misused to describe these forms of ADHD.  Let’s take a look at a few of the more common ones.

Primarily Inattentive:  Lazy; Daydreaming; Tuning Out; Spacy; Bored; Unmotivated; Procrastinating; Unconfident.   While children may indeed exhibit these states without the presence of ADHD, the inattentiveness brought about by the disorder is often improperly described by these terms and can lead to mis-labeling, and the child missing out on the opportunity for help.

Hyperactive:  Excitable; Wild; Active; Physical; Hyper.  Once again, these conditions, particularly if temporary, don’t necessarily indicate ADHD.  However, if these behavior styles are typical, proper testing is necessary to get them the most help possible.

Impulsive:   Aggressive; Oversensitive; Immature; Emotional; “Jumps to Conclusions”.   As above, if persistent, it is best to determine the cause of these problems through the proper testing, and if the child screens positive for the disorder, it should be corrected through the right treatment.

It is imperative to find a veritable form of testing to see if one or more of the above mentioned symptoms is associated with ADHD.  If you reside in the Southern California area and would like your child or yourself to be tested for this disorder, please feel free to contact us.