At home and at school, it does not stay still: impossible for this child to remain seated listening or learning. What if he was hyperactive, or more exactly the carrier of a attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD)? A pathology that affects 3 to 5% of children in France, or one to two students per class according to the CAF. And, according to Health Insurance, ADHD, the cause or causes of which are not yet known with certainty, is characterized by the combination of three symptoms the intensity and manifestations of which vary according to the person: attention deficit, motor hyperactivity as well as impulsivity.
“The central point of the problem is not hyperactivity, but attention deficit. », Specifies to CAF Dr Nathalie Franc, psychiatrist at the University Hospital of Montpellier and author of a book on the subject. The teachers’ gaze often comforts parents in their feelings. It is, in fact, especially in a learning situation, from the first grade, that the symptoms are detected: lack of concentration, organization, difficulties in being tidy, in doing homework … In case of doubt, it is recommended to contact your doctor or a pediatrician, who will then refer the family to a disease specialist (pediatrician, neurologist, child psychiatrist, neuropsychologist).
Schooling with ADHD
For more information, it is also possible to contact the TDAH-France association, which covers the territory well. “The goal is to clearly distinguish ADHD from other problems that can cause similar symptoms (hyperactivity, inattention or simple turbulent behavior), ”says Health Insurance. The CAF indicates that from 6 years old, the specialist can establish a diagnosis thanks to a collection of medical information, testimonies and an interview with the child. “The sooner the diagnosis is made, the better. The entourage understands that this behavior is due to a genetic vulnerability, and not a desire to disobey, ”explains Dr Franc.
Care is then put in place to support families, and education must also encourage positive actions, because automatisms and learning are much longer and unstable, with ADHD. You have to target fewer goals at the same time. “We congratulate the child with a non-material reward, like making him his favorite dish, or letting him watch a cartoon, for example,” suggests Dr. Franc. It is important that teachers take these issues into account and adopt individualized accommodations, for example by placing the child in the first rows so that he is less distracted, or by having him distribute the sheets to be in motion.
Hyperactivity: a psychostimulant treatment
To benefit from these adaptations, “ADHD must be recognized as a cognitive handicap (on request from the Departmental House for the Disabled), which has been possible since 2005, ”says Health Insurance. If this remains complicated, psychostimulant treatment can be considered and reviewed each year under medical supervision, while the child acquires new strategies and automatisms for fundamental learning. While making sure that it retains a healthy lifestyle (food, sleep, time in front of the screens). Finally, during adolescence, ADHD can persist, but often gets better or goes away with age.