"-My lovely son Christian !"

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DAMP stands for Deficits in Attention, Motor control and Perception.

I know that the term used for DAMP in the USA is ADHD and in the UK it is Hyperactive Disorder.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

DAMP or ADHD is a neurological disorder or dysfunction. The diagnos does not mean that the child is less intelligent than other children it only means that the child react diffrently than other children because of the disorder. ADHD / DAMP occurs in people of every level of intelligence, ADHD / DAMP is 5 - 7 times more common in boys.

Our son Christian was diagnosed with DAMP when he was 7 years old. But we as Christians parents understood that something was not right with our child when he was a little baby. Christian did not want to sleep very much and when he became a toddler he was very hyperactive.

What causes ADHD / DAMP ? Most scientist suspect that the cause is genetic or biological. Some believe that ADHD / DAMP is caused by imbalance of neurotransmitters, chemicals used by the brain to control behaviour, or by abnormal glucose metabolism in central nervous system. A child may also develop ADHD / DAMP before birth because of problems in the development or neurological damage.

The disorder or symptoms of the disorder arise in early childhood often with a constellation of problems with inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. These symptoms cause great difficulty in daily life both for the child and for the parents. Early indetification and proper treatment has been found to dramatically reduce family, educational, behavioral and psychological problems.

The disorder interferes with an individuals ability to sustain attention, with their activity level, with their ability to effectively manage tasks and see them true and with different emotions. They also have a dominant urge to act on impulse. They also have difficulties following through on instructions, they do not seem to listen, often sqirms and have difficulties remaining in their seats. They often loses thing necessary for tasks or activities. They often interrupts or intrudes on others and they talk excessively and have difficulties playing quietly and interact with other children. They often egages themselves in dangerous activities. The ADHD / DAMP child affect the entire family, including relationship between parents, siblings and grandparents.

My son Christian has some learning problems and traces of dyslexia. The learning problems are that he has great problems remembering what he learns in school and in his homeworks when he takes a test in school. The brain shuts down on him and he does not remember anything or very little when he feels the pressure to succeed or achive good grades on a test. My son has great difficulties with his spelling skills to and he does not like to read books.

Medications such as Amphetamine or Ritalina, stimulant medications, are effective help for people with ADHD / DAMP. When they are prescribed for people with ADHD / DAMP they stimulate part of the brain wich are not filtering out distractions as well as they should. They can improve attention span, decrease distractibility, increase ability to finish tasks, improve ability to follow directions, decrease hyperactivity, improve ability to think before acting ( decrease impulsivity ). The medicine work best with special help in school. Medications does not cure ADHD / DAMP but medications can keep a child in a chair so he or she can learn. Amphetamine and Ritalina are not tranquilizers or sedatives. Children appear calmer because they are more focused, not because they are sedated.

Amphetamine and Ritalina has an effective period of 4 - 6 hours, and you can skip taking the medication when you want without any side effects or any risk for addiction.
Improved grades, better behavior and social skills are side effects of the medication and are not caused by the pill.

Are there any side effects of medication? Yes. In most cases, the side effects are mild and may eventually go away. The most common side effects of stimulant medications are difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, irritability, and upset stomach.

The clinical characteristics of ADHD / DAMP varies with age. Children with ADHD / DAMP grows up to be teenagers and adult with ADHD / DAMP. Behaviors such as hyperactivity are less intense in adulthood.
The clinical presentation ( what you can see ) is not the same at various times in a persons life living with ADHD / DAMP.
What consequences a disorder such as ADHD / DAMP are going to have on a persons life i highly dependent on the childs environment and the understanding the child gets from its family, friends, teachers in school etc.

Until recent years, it was believed that children outgrew ADHD / DAMP in adolescence. This is because hyperactivity often diminishes during the teen years. It is now known that many symptoms continue into adulthood.

If the disorder goes undiagnosed, untreated or is treated inadequately during adulthood, adults may have trouble at work and in relationships, as well as emotional difficulties.

Will I ever outgrow ADHD / DAMP ? Most people do not outgrow ADHD / DAMP. However, people do learn to adapt and lead successful lives. Remember also that having ADHD / DAMP is not all bad. Many people with ADHD / DAMP tend to be energetic, outgoing and creative. They become successful in business, sales, sports, and other careers.
Conclusions: ADHD / DAMP is a treatable disorder. Counseling, education, and sometimes medication can all be very helpful. Dealing with ADHD / DAMP can be a struggle. However, if you work at it and develop good coping strategies, you will be much more likely to minimize the negative effects of ADHD / DAMP.

Although individuals with ADHD / DAMP can be very successful in life, without identification and proper treatment ADHD / DAMP can have serious consequences, including school failure, depression, conduct disorder, failed relationships, and substance abuse. Early identification and treatment increase the likelihood of positive long-term outcomes.

Many adults with ADHD / DAMP were never properly diagnosed as children. They grew up struggling with a disability they did not even know they had. Others were diagnosed as "hyperkinetic" or "hyperactive" and were told their symptoms would disappear in adolescence. Consequently, many developed other problems that masked the underlying ADHD / DAMP.

Adults with ADHD / DAMP can be easily distracted, have difficulty sustaining attention and concentrating, are often impulsive and impatient, may have frequent mood swings and short tempers, can be disorganized and have difficulty planning ahead. Adults may also note feeling fidgety and restless internally.

Adults with ADHD / DAMP often experience career difficulties. They may lose jobs due to poor job performance,attention and organizational problems, or difficulty with interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, adults who are diagnosed and treated adequately can thrive professionally. This is especially true once individuals find their area(s) of strength.

My son Christian has had to overcome a lot of obstacles and bad experiences in his life both with coping in school and getting along with bad teachers who did not understand his ADHD / DAMP and the symptoms of the disorder. They said that they understood Christians problems and that they wanted to help him but their actions, harassment and abuse said another thing...

Today everything is so much better. Christian has great teachers in school who cares about him and who gives him important encouragement when he needs it. Christian have a lot of good friends too and he lives a good healthy life. Christian loves computers and want to become a computer engineer in the future. Christian is a hero in my book and I love him so very much. He is a great kid and a nice warm person.

On ABOUT.com you will find a lot of good information about ADD/ ADHD etc:
Click on the link named Health-Fitness, then on the link named Attention Deficit Disorder, ( ADD, ADHD).

 

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