ADHD: How To Help Your Child Get Ahead In Life

In Malaysia, the documented prevalence rate of ADHD is 3.9%, but experts think it could be higher due to unrecorded cases. The incidence rate in the population is higher in boys (8-10%) than in girls (4%) with diagnosis occurring before the age of 12 years old.

It is important to understand that ADHD is a brain-based psychological condition and is not a result of external factors or bad parenting. If your child has been diagnosed with ADHD, how do you ensure an upbringing that will allow your child to overcome the challenges? In order to do this, parents need to first identify the kinds of challenges their child is likely to face with ADHD. Some of the things the child may go through include:

• They may experience learning disabilities

About 20-30% of children diagnosed with ADHD will face some form of learning disability, where they may find it hard to understanding certain sounds or words.

• They may have difficulty making friends
  

Children with ADHD tend to be louder, have less filter over what they say and are prone to interrupting others. This can cause other children to feel uncomfortable around them, even to the extent of disliking them.

• They may struggle to carry a conversation
  

Losing track of conversations or getting distracted by unrelated thoughts are normal for children with ADHD. They may even misunderstand what others are saying, which could confuse all those involved in the conversation.

• There may be fits of overreaction
  

Struggling to find word to express themselves or their emotions can be very frustrating for children with ADHD. Out of frustration, they may physically lash out at others, or have meltdowns at ages where it’s no longer appropriate.