Rise In ADHD As Behavioural Problem Among School Children During Covid Outburst

ADHD is a brain-based biological disorder. It is a combination of persistent problems such as difficulty in paying attention, impulsive behaviour, and hyperactivity.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can affect a child’s success at school, as well as their relationships. It is a behaviour disorder and symptoms of ADHD are almost always apparent by the age of 7 and may be present in very young preschoolers. To know the symptoms of ADHD click https://www.steffiprasad.com/post/types-of-adhd-adult-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder

The major types of ADHD are

Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

Inattentive Type

Combined type

This pandemic has caused a drastic change in our lives affecting almost all areas. It has caused a threat to our mental health. To know more about the covid 19 pandemic and the effect it has on our mental health click https://www.steffiprasad.com/post/covid-19-pandemic-and-mental-health

Irrespective of age, gender, social status; this global pandemic has affected us in many ways. School-going children are no exception. It has brought more mental and behavioural problems. Behavioural problems like acute stress, behavioural symptoms, and mood swings among kids with ADHD have increased or have become prominent during this pandemic. School routines are important coping mechanisms for children with mental health issues. The loss of daily routine and the lack of social and interpersonal interaction are working as a potential risk factor for mental health problems or could worsen ADHD symptoms. These kids are struggling a lot. “A child with ADHD often doesn’t deal well with uncertainty, long delay of gratification, and not knowing when the activities they will find more rewarding are going to occur,” says David Anderson, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute. “So, especially with the younger kids, it’s important to have a schedule that’s posted somewhere in the home that shows what they’re going to be doing at any given time of the day.”

An online survey was performed by the NCBI to evaluate the impact of the Covid19 pandemic on children with ADHD and of the 80 parents who initially consented to participate, 48 filled the baseline survey, and 41 agreed to receive the intervention. Out of 41, 29 filled satisfaction surveys. During the lockdown period, there was worsening of symptoms of ADHD in the form of an increase (slight or marked) in the activity level (50.1%), irritability (45.8%), and disturbing or disruptive behaviour (47.7%) in children. In terms of the behaviour of family members, there was a marked/slight increase in irritability (37.5%), and shouting at the child (43.8%), verbal abuse (25%), and punishing the child (27.1%). Additionally, there was an increase in the praising (67.6%) and spending time with the child (72.9%). Text-based messages on a scale of 0 to 10 were rated as 5.79 for the content, 5.76 for the usefulness, and 6 for satisfaction.

How should we cope up with it?

Utopia Life Coach suggests you to think about activities or things that motivate your children the most so that you can either make their less appealing activities a bit appealing by joining the two or by converting them into something interesting.

If a kid finds it difficult to focus make sure they are in a place free from distraction so that they can focus well and will get a mindset that will help them to concentrate.

Mara Koffmann, a learning specialist who founded Braintrust says “I know kids are Zooming and trying to do their homework in bed, or they’re sitting at a desk that’s just covered in stuff that they’re not using. Especially for kids who tend towards distraction, having a dedicated workspace that is neat and functional is really helpful for getting engaged during any kind of remote learning lesson.”

Applying some methods to coping up in this situation can be very helpful for the kids as well as the family. Take professional help if needed. We are here to help, contact us at www.steffiprasad.com