Hyperactive children - dilemmas and misunderstandings

The problem of children with ADHD is, among other things, a result of non-coordinated diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Authors have analysed 221 children, first grade pupils of both sexes. The goal was to establish the relation and differences between parental evaluations and evaluations made by teachers.
The results were evaluated by mental health professionals using DSM-IV criteria. The result show that there is a difference in the general evaluation of ADHD in the sample.
The difference in evaluation is related to evaluations made by parents, teachers and mental health professionals.
As treatment of children with ADHD is influenced by the recognition of the disorder, and the efficacy of treatment depends on the coordinated attitudes of parents, teachers and mental health professionals, the results of the pilot study show the difficulties that are the result of differences in the evaluation of the disorder and factors that influence the process of evaluation.
Deskriptori:ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER WITH HYPERACTIVITY
INTRODUCTION
The issue of children with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is being registered more often both at home and school and is becoming a major factor in poor school performance, communication, and becoming an adult who is not able to take responsibility for their actions.
Since the beginning of this century, when hyperactive children were first registered to the present, and especially after 1920, more serious efforts have been made to study children with this disorder, to consider the causes, behavior characteristics and therapy. They have been the subjects of numerous studies and according to epidemiological studies the number of children is increasing.
The name of this disorder has changed according to the attitudes of professionals and relations with possible causes. Until 1957 the name was MCD (minimal cerebral dysfunction). The name was a result of the belief that the cause of this disorder is brain damage that often was not easily detected by regular diagnostic procedures. In 1957 the name was changed to Hyperkinetic Impulsive Disorder, and was based on the basic characteristics of behaviour. In the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Association of Psychiatry (DSM II) this disorder was classified as Hyperkinetic reaction in children. In DSM III the name was changed to Attention Deficit and Hyperactive Disorder and in DSM IV the name is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. This name we use today.
Numerous epidemiological studies have comed out in the world, whose results are very different. They depend on the sample and methods used. The prevalence is 3-20% in the general population.
Based on many studies, it is believed that numerous factors influence the prevalence of ADHD. The differences exist in relation to age, sex, background, socio-economic status and criteria used in diagnosis. With the importance of this disorder in mind, it is not possible for evaluation to be based only on numerous behavioural scales, but also on other factors that influence the diagnosis.
This last fact inspired us to conduct this study.
DIAGNOSIS
Since the beginning of 1970 (1) showing1 child per 1000 children with ADHD can be found. According to US studies there are 20% of these children, but most data point to 3-5% (2). These result differences arise from both terminological variations, as well as the scales used to determine the diagnosis.