ATTENTION DEFICIENCY HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
The coronavirus (Covid-19) has been part of our lives for almost a year now. Starting with the news that an infection occurred in China has turned into a global epidemic that affects almost all of us positively or negatively and this epidemic came along with different changing life aspects as the ongoing process as if it is spreading, will it come to our country, the isolation process we had only witnessed in science fiction films before, the use of masks, closure of schools, workplaces, restaurants, online life becoming normal. The individual and national differences in the effort of people in almost every region of the world to solve similar problems in different ways, and the implementation of three simple suggestions such as isolation, distance and hand washing will be one of the important details that will remain in my mind after the epidemic.
One of my professional interests is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The main purpose of this article is to summarize different solutions for the families of children diagnosed with ADHD and to support families who have difficulty finding their own way in this process. Thus, let us start by briefly getting to know ADHD;
ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric disorders of childhood. The incidence of this disease at school age varies between 5-8%, which is characterized by distracted attention, excessive mobility and impulsivity that is not suitable for the age and development level of the child. This shows us that when we consider our country's young population under the age of 18 (approximately 25 million), a very high number of children have problems with ADHD. n the midst of the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, unfortunately almost all of us are faced with various difficult life events. Of course, this pressure is an additional source of stress for children with ADHD. Studies have been published showing that anxiety about corona causes stress, eating and sleeping difficulties, especially for individuals affected by ADHD. Medication use in ADHD treatment, behavioral regulations, family, child, and school recognizing this disease and learning strategies for it, might have very positive results. It is essential to get professional help in this regard. Let us look at what behavioral changes might be appropriate during corona pandemic at home while continuing your existing treatment;
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We are going through an extraordinary period; I suggest starting by determining what reflects this period on your family. If you are unable to meet some of your old habits now, it means that you need to introduce changes that are appropriate to the current conditions. This is the current reality of all of us, not just you.
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If any of your children have ADHD, they may need extra support than other kids to adjust to the current situation in the midst of uncertainty. My primary suggestion is to create a daily routine. What and when your child will do daily at home should be arranged in a way that includes little flexibility. In other words, what time he will get up, what time he will sleep, what activities will be done that day should be planned. It would not be a very realistic anticipation to expect the children who study in primary and secondary schools to apply the plan spontaneously. Setting the program excessively strict as minute by minute will not work either. Therefore, creating an order, a routine that is flexible, suitable for the realities of the day, highly applicable and that we can control, may be the healthiest way in this period.
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It is important to remember that the online era has its own characteristics. Preparing a schoolroom that does not have many stimuli at home, just like in school, and contains only the materials of the particular lesson he is currently taught can help you solve attention problems.
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Age-appropriate activities that you will do by using a time reminder tool (such as a mobile phone, an alarm clock) to help your children spending energy between classes would meet the children’s need. For example, playing how many steps is the corridor game, or the game with the step board as who will get the most on the board in a minute. Trust your creativity.:)
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It is important that your children spend the time off by acting. Planning ahead will also be useful here. I would like to remind you that there is no need for large spaces for a physical activity that you and your children will enjoy; the important thing here is to move and have fun.
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Of course, it is our and the children’s right to follow the developments regarding the corona virus. However, there are currently global discussions on many issues such as vaccines and disease spread. It is very difficult to find information that we can fully understand what is happening. So what should we do? It may be beneficial not to share information with our children until we have clarified it as adults and to carry out the process without overwhelming them with warnings.
Even in these difficult conditions, let us allow ourselves and our children to find games that will discover and nurture the hopeful side as well as the anxious side within us, what do you think? Wish you healthy and beautiful days…
Prof. Dr. Özden Şükran Üneri
Child and Adolescent Mental Health and Diseases Specialist
IGU Psychology Department Lecturer
