Yvonnie Bailey- Davidson
Dear Counsellor:
My child was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Over the past years his behaviour has deteriorated and his school performance is poor. He is unable to sit still or concentrate on tasks for any length of time. He has trouble learning and finishing schoolwork. He is easily distracted and is hyperactive. Sometimes he becomes aggressive, is frequently impulsive and has difficulty following instructions. The doctor prescribes Ritalin and this has caused improvement in his behaviour. He is doing better in school and his reading has improved.
My son's behaviour had caused great stress to the teacher and I. However, since he started treatment I have been less stressed. We need an educational campaign to sensitise teachers and parents about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We need to response early to the condition instead of later.
-Dianne
Dear Dianne:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a common disorder but goes unrecognised and untreated. It is easily treated and results in improvement in school grades and behaviour of the children. Some children are very talkative and disruptive and are a source of stress to teachers and the education system. Children have temper tantrums and some become very aggressive. The children are unable to learn because of the short attention span, easy distractibility and hyperactivity. This condition requires a team approach for its management. It requires the help of the general practitioner or paediatrician, psychiatrist or psychologist and the school personnel. These children are placed on an individualised educational programme as well as a behaviour modification programme. Some children get depressed and frustrated at the
frequent failures, so need to get counselling. Other children do poorly in school and have to be given medication. The unfortunate thing is that some children become juvenile delinquents and are in trouble with the law. The research has shown that many criminals have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder which went unrecognised and untreated.
Mother has dementia
Dear Counsellor,
My issue today is about dementia. My mother is 72 years old and her memory has deteriorated. She is unable to remember people's names and to keep track of what she is doing. She becomes verbally abusive at times and has difficulty sleeping at night. She is paranoid and has visual hallucinations. The doctor has diagnosed dementia and prescribed some medication. She was placed in a nursing home but the family visits often.
- John
Dear John,
Dementia is a common disorder among the elderly. The cause of dementia is many and requires detailed medical evaluation. Some times the individual lacks vitamin B or has diabetes mellitus or hypertension. It is important that patients with diabetes mellitus or hypertension maintained good control of their illness and are compliant with their treatment regime. Some individual's develop Alzheimer's disease which deteriorates over time.
As a caregiver for the elderly, one needs time off to rest and refresh one's self. It is a blessing that there are nursing homes to help ease the workload of relatives. It is very sad to see your loved one deteriorate before your eyes. As the saying goes 'once a man twice a child'.
The elderly should endeavour to keep the brain active with walking, doing puzzles and find a word as well as reading. They should pay attention to their diet and take nutritional supplements. Being busy around the house is helpful as well as talking to your friends and relatives on the telephone. The senior citizen must keep up with current affairs by watching television, listening to the radio and reading the various newspapers.
Dr. Yvonnie Bailey-Davidson; El Shaddai Medical Centre; 9274824; yvonniebd@hotmail.com
