Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 5% – 11% of children nationwide[1], with 4.4%[2] of adults continuing to show symptoms into adulthood. Some children with AD/HD may appear primarily inattentive, while others appear mainly hyperactive and impulsive. Still, some children will have a combined presentation of all these characteristics. Children and adolescents living with AD/HD often have trouble concentrating and/or are easily over-stimulated and have low impulse control. Whatever the predominant symptoms, the behavior is disruptive and impairs home, school and social functioning.
This disorder must either be diagnosed or have symptoms present before age 12. Before proper diagnosis, children with AD/HD are often mislabeled as “problem children” – even with recent increased awareness in academic and medical settings. This is a label that often follows them into adulthood. Children from families with fewer resources may go undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, and are left to flounder through academic and social development without appropriate support and services. If left untreated, AD/HD can cause numerous problems in adulthood, including securing and completing education and occupational opportunities, difficulty establishing and maintaining relationships and other consequences related to impulsive behavior.
Here at Milestones Ranch Malibu, staff assists our adult clients in finding the right individualized combination of non-habit forming medication, behavioral therapy, self-management and coping skills to effectively treat AD/HD. Adult clients will learn new skills to navigate through their emotions and impulsive behaviors, as well as heal from the emotional pain caused by the disorder, all in our beautiful and serene ranch located in Malibu, California.
We hope the information contained in this article has been helpful to you. Please feel free to contact us at Milestones Ranch Malibu with any questions or comments you may have. Call: (800) 791-6859 for assistance.
[1] http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html
[2] http://www.nimh.nih.gov/news/science-news/2006/harvard-study-suggests-significant-prevalence-of-adhd-symptoms-among-adults.shtml