ADD & ADHD Treatment in Jacksonville and Serving Ponte Vedra Beach & Jacksonville Beach, FL
ADHD is a very common diagnosis in children and teenagers. 8% of children under 18 years of age qualify for this diagnosis and many adults as well. Attention problems can exist without hyperactivity symptoms, called ADD, and can be more difficult to diagnosis as it may not be as obvious. A child or adult may seem “spaced out” or to be ignoring you when their brain is actually wandering due to inability to focus. This can be frustrating as a parent, as a teacher, family member, and also frustrating for the child/adult.
If a child has both inattention and hyperactivity, they may have the combined diagnosis of ADHD. ADHD can affect children academically, affect their behavior at home or school, but also affect them socially. The good news is that not all children with this diagnosis need medication. Making the diagnosis itself is important so that the child can find a path toward academic and personal success.
The most common age to be diagnosed with an attention issue is typically around age 8 years old. Severe cases may come to light earlier with behavioral problems even in preschoolers and some mild cases that lack the hyperactivity component may be diagnosed even later in grade school, or even middle or high school.
ADHD is a condition which may manifest itself with the following symptoms:
- Excessive daydreaming
- Poor school performance
- Inability to complete tasks
- Procrastination
- Making careless mistakes
- Inability to stay seated
- Constantly moving
- Frequently talking and interrupting
Diagnosing ADHD involves a thorough medical and psychiatric evaluation to determine if there could be another underlying disorder causing these symptoms. Some children are misdiagnosed with ADHD when they actually have depression or anxiety instead. There are many effective treatment options to treat ADHD and ADD, including:
- Dietary Changes
- Natural supplements and vitamins
- Limiting electronics
- Special accommodations
- Academic assistance
- Medications if needed
- Functional Medicine practitioners may investigate for food sensitivities, nutrient defiencies, and neurotransmitter or genetic changes that can contribute to these symptoms.