ISLAMABAD:Psychiatrists on Friday stressed to launch an awareness campaign to educate the public about the importance of early diagnosis of genetic Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children as a mental disorder of the neuro-development that affects children’s behavior around the world.
A renowned psychiatrist Dr Yasir Masood Afaq talking to a private news channel said that it is recommended that parents, educators and medical professionals should play their role to raise awareness regarding this disorder amongst children for timely treatment.
“Awareness drives in schools are very much important to help parents in understanding the importance of ADHD,” he mentioned.
Children with ADHD symptoms welcome easily accessible distractions and they should avoid watching television, video games, and computer as it encourages impulsive behavior in them so it should be regulated by consulting a relevant doctor.
“We need to decrease kids’ screen time and increase their outdoor physical activities” because physical activities burn excess energy in healthy ways. It also helps a child to focus their attention on specific movements, he further added.
Another way to control the impulse to speak before thinking is to teach your child how to pause a moment before talking or replying, he added.
Parents and teachers should encourage more thoughtful responses by helping their child with homework assignments and asking interactive questions about a favorite television show or book, he advised.
He believed that athletics can help a child with ADHD find a constructive way to focus their passion, attention, and energy.
Replying to a question, he said children especially girls with ADHD can lack self-control, adding this causes them to speak and act before thinking.
Parents should ask children to verbalize their thoughts and reasoning when the urge to act out arises, he said, it is important to understand that child’s thought process in order to help him or her is to curb impulsive behaviors.
Therefore we need to arrange more and more awareness drives to better understand ADHD, and to educate young parents to support their child’s mental health and well-being to make them productive people in society.