Attention and concentration disorder in children, adolescents and adults

You asked your child to tidy his room at least ten times in a row and he still does not listen, he keeps forgetting pencils and books in the classroom or at home, he finds it difficult to do his homework or to sit still for more than a few minutes, he is unable to piece together a puzzle or to play "quiet games", he does not listen to you when you talk to him and the teacher complains that he does not concentrate and often leaves his seat and disturbs the lesson – all these and more are some of the symptoms that constitute the disorder known as attention and concentration disorder.

Many of us are related, directly or indirectly, to this phenomenon – as sufferers, as colleagues of sufferers, at work or in university, who experience signs of this disorder, as parents of children who were diagnosed in school as suffering from this phenomenon, and more.

Diagnosis and treatment of attention and concentration deficits

To shed some light on this subject, the following are some important facts about attention and concentration disorder:
 

• Attentions and concentration disorders appear at all ages: children, adolescents, adults and even elderly people suffer from this disorder.
   
• Two major disorders can be found under the umbrella of attention and concentration disorders: ADD – attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity and ADHD – attention deficit disorder with signs of hyperactivity.
   
• The major signs that could serve as a warning light regarding the possible presence of attention and concentration disorders include distractibility, difficulty concentrating on one stimulus, hyperactivity, restlessness, organization difficulties, forgetfulness, difficulties in concentrating and completing complex tasks, inattention to small details, difficulty in following instructions or remembering the order of actions, talkativeness or difficulty listening to a "one on one" conversation, frequently losing the thread of thought, and so on.
   
• Diagnosis is intended mainly but not only for people in various educational settings. Attention and concentration problems affect also a person's ability to hold a full-time job, sustain a couple's relationship, drive, and more.
   
• The diagnosis of attention and concentration disorders is made by an expert psychiatrist and can be made from the age of 7 years and upwards, while the first signs appear even earlier.
   
• There is no one specific cause for the occurrence of attention and concentration disorder, and it usually contains a variety of factors such as a structural change in the brain and in the activity of its chemical materials, with an emphasis on a disorder in the functioning of Dopamine. Environmental conditions and genetics play also an important role in this disorder.
   

• With appropriate treatment, it is possible to relieve the accompanying feelings of distress and improve the sufferer's quality of life significantly. Medical treatment is the most common to cope with attention and concentration disorders.
  
  The market is flooded with medicines that have various side effects, are given in different dosages, and are effective at different time periods.
  
  Therefore, it is important to consult an expert doctor before taking them. These medicines are based on stimulating substances that help improve the concentration and attention ability and treat also the symptoms of hyperactivity.
   
• Some people are not interested in taking medication and these people can choose treatment alternatives, such as cognitive behavioral therapy and personal or couples' psychological therapy, that are aimed at dealing with the mental difficulties that accompany the disorder, such as low self-esteem, and include instructing parents and teachers, and neurofeedback treatment. It is very important to match the treatment correctly to each individual.