Learning With Lindo

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder- one of the most diagnosed disorders amongst children of school going age. But what is it really? Does your child attempt to play with their LEGO and instantly give up on them? Are they hyperactive? Constantly on the go. Do they talk about one thing and then the next in a seemingly coherent manner but the two topics don’t relate? Has your child’s teacher complained about them not being able to finish tasks? Daydreaming during lessons and having a blank stare? Making avoidable mistakes? Is your child absentminded at home and forgetful of tasks that he/she has to do daily? Do they often put on their pants or vest incorrectly because they’re in a rush to nowhere? Do they sometimes do/say the wrong thing and are quick to say, “oh, I knew that!”, when the error is highlighted? ADHD can also manifest as extremely sensitive emotional reaction to otherwise not serious situations. Does your child come across as highly excitable and impulsive- not thinking through what their next move is or how a situation can end? Well these are all signs of ADHD. Some children will struggle so much that they cannot fall asleep at night. Because they are on the go constantly, they can be very articulate and expressive orally but struggle with things such as handwriting because such tasks require them to slow down and do things systematically. ADHD can manifest in difference ways and no amount of “calm down” will remedy the situation. But there are things you can do to help your child.

Most children have fears, they worry, are nervous or anxious- they are also affected by the things that happen to them and around them. Even the tiny things that some people might label as unimportant. A lot of who we are is a summation of the experiences we have been through. Now imagine if as a child you had someone who understood your fears, your worries, helped you through your traumas. Do you think you would have turned out the way you have today? So here we are a generation mauled by mental illness, given an opportunity as parents, caregivers, siblings, uncles and aunts and educators to make sure the little ones of today have a better understanding of themselves. This season is for that- to create awareness and understand anxiety disorders and also to help us acknowledge that these are feelings that we are allowed to feel and process and need not suppress.

Everyone worries. We all worry about one thing or another. Some days are filled with worry and others not. Worry comes accompanied with anxiety and for an average adult the anxiety can be overwhelming. Now imagine being a child whose days are filled with constant worry, worry about everything. Imagine not being able to communicate these worries and feeling trapped, overwhelmed by everything that might or might not happen to you or to the people around you. Imagine not being able to sleep because you know there’s a test that you have tomorrow or a school presentation or even a preschool recital. For a lot of children anxiety is debilitating, especially when untreated. This episodes explains what generalized anxiety disorder is, what are its symptoms (emotional, physical, behavioral and thought) and it also explains possible treatment and management options but it also provides 10 things you as a parent guardian and caregiver can do to help a child living with anxiety. Remember that anxiety in children, if left untreated, begets anxiety in adulthood.

You know how people always joke about tricking a child into going to fetch their shoes so that they can accompany them somewhere, only for the child to return and find the parent long gone? Well, some children might be adversely affected by that one single act into developing separation anxiety disorder. A condition in which a child becomes fearful and nervous of being separated from their caregiver because the child cannot ascertain if their caregiver will return or not. Listen to this episode to understand how an insecure attachment style between a child and caregiver can lead to the development of separation anxiety disorder.