Pruebas de TDAH: todo lo que los padres deben saber

Si el cerebro de su hijo tratara de comunicar que tiene un problema, ¿alguien lo notaría?

En mi consultorio, los cerebros de los niños a veces piden ayuda al mostrar síntomas del trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH). Mi trabajo es trabajar con usted, el padre o cuidador del niño, para determinar si el TDAH está causando los problemas emocionales, sociales y de comportamiento que provocan la visita al consultorio.

Until recently, children with ADHD were often misdiagnosed or mislabeled. Many of them missed out on the stabilizing treatment that could have made all the difference. But in the 1990’s, parents became more aware of the condition, diagnoses were verified and treatment options improved. These developments changed thousands of lives and turned the tide for future generations.

Hoy en día, las pruebas de TDAH todavía están llenas de conceptos erróneos. Pero está bien, estamos aquí para aclararlos.

¿Qué es el TDAH?

ADHD is a mental disorder that affects about 8.4% of children and 2.5% adults. This neurobiologic condition could be caused by a number of factors:

• Anatomía del cerebro
• Herencia
• Heridas en la cabeza
• Nacimiento prematuro
• Exposición prenatal a sustancias
• Toxinas ambientales

Some parents ask me whether sugar, too much screen time, or even immunizations can cause ADHD. There is no evidence any of these theories hold any weight whatsoever.

El TDAH se caracteriza por falta de atención, impulsividad o, a menudo, ambas. Estos síntomas se pueden expresar de muchas maneras diferentes, como puede que hayas visto por ti mismo.

Vivir y amar a un joven con sospecha de TDAH puede ser confuso. Esto es lo que necesita saber sobre las pruebas de TDAH.

Cómo suele comenzar el TDAH y cómo suele evolucionar

Nadie mira a su hijo y en el acto declara que es probable que tenga TDAH. No, este trastorno se diagnostica mediante una combinación de eventos que se suman para formar un cuadro completo.

Las preocupaciones suelen surgir en el hogar en la primera infancia. Los cuidadores y los padres a menudo me hablan de la personalidad salvaje o obstinada de un niño. Luego, las sospechas se validan cuando el niño ingresa a la guardería o al salón de clases, donde otros niños están cerca como un referente de comportamiento social y emocional.

At these ages, all educators and parents acknowledge the busy, fidgety nature of kids in general. But they can also usually recognize if a particular child shows an extreme degree of inattentiveness or impulsivity. The CDC’s organization, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), has published a list of ADHD symptoms and signs that indicate a child may need to be tested for ADHD.

Left untreated, ADHD can sabotage a youngster’s academic performance as they enter elementary school and middle school, even though their intelligence matches that of their peers. The underperformance further frustrates the child, exacerbating the impulsivity and/or inattentive behavior.

Y al llegar a la escuela secundaria, los niños con TDAH que no reciben tratamiento pueden comenzar a mostrar falta de motivación o perseverancia. Cada niño muestra el trastorno de manera muy diferente, lo que hace que sea extremadamente difícil para los padres precisarlo.

As the brain continues to develop, the condition tends to become more cerebral. It exposes itself less in outward expressions, and instead presents as anxiety and inner emotional tension. These changes can further confuse both child and caregiver. Thankfully, a simple visit to the doctor for ADHD testing can help.

Qué esperar en la cita de prueba de TDAH de su hijo

When you plan a visit to your primary care provider, you want to know what you’re walking into. My team takes a three-pronged approach to ADHD testing.

Entrevista clínica

Comenzamos con una lista de preguntas que cubre una variedad de aspectos de la vida del niño. Algunas de las cosas que cubrimos incluyen:

• What are some other events happening in your child’s life right now? For example, maybe mom has just had a baby and the older sibling, a five-year-old, is acting out. Or perhaps there’s been a recent move or other major transition.
• What physiological symptoms is your child experiencing, if any? I saw a 14-year-old who suddenly lost weight and became very irritable, hyperactive and inattentive. Based on his Físico symptoms, I could rule out ADHD. Turns out he actually had high thyroid levels. Today, he’s being treated properly for that and doing very well.
• Was there any trauma in the past? Young brains cannot process abuse. Often, as they develop, the turmoil emerges as behavioral and academic problems.
• What’s the degree of dysfunction? Sometimes young people are slightly inattentive and somewhat impulsive. We don’t want to medicate a child just because of a personality quirk, so it’s critical we assess the degree of dysfunction in our clinical interview.
• Does the child’s lifestyle support healthy mental and emotional development? Kids who don’t get enough Dormir, affection, nutrition, socialization and exercise can easily develop the kinds of issues that appear to be ADHD. When they’re “multitasking” between social media, video games, streaming movies and messaging apps, they’re training their brain to be unfocused and inattentive. This is a possibility we explore in our clinical interview, as well.

Nuestra entrevista clínica es mi oportunidad de ser el defensor y detective de su hijo. La conversación abierta y honesta me permite analizar de manera integral lo que podría estar contribuyendo al motivo de la visita al consultorio y lo que podemos hacer al respecto.

Escalas de calificación

ADHD is nothing if not nuanced. That’s where our rating scales come in handy. Rating scales are an opportunity for the young person to answer “somewhat yes” and “somewhat no” to a variety of scenario questions. This way, they can self-report how emphatically they struggle or succeed in different areas of life.

Una prueba computarizada

La tercera es una prueba computarizada, que es una medida objetiva de su nivel de atención, impulsividad y actividad.

The reliability of this three-pronged approach is truly sealed with the impartial, substantive results of the computerized test. In the clinical interview, I get to ask the questions based on my knowledge. Then, during the rating scales portion, the child or teen gets to contribute their input. And finally, the computerized assessment is something completely outside the two of us. It’s completely objective. And it confirms or allays our hypothesis so that we can begin discussing treatment options for your child.

Cómo empezar

ADHD is a disorder that can be disabling to different extents. It presents differently at different ages and in different kids. But families who come to see me are in the right place. And if we find that your child does not have ADHD, then we will definitely still try to find solutions in some other way.

Como padre, es natural preocuparse por el bienestar de su hijo. La buena noticia es esta: hay una variedad de opciones de tratamiento útiles en términos de medicamentos, adaptaciones en el salón de clases y, para niños mayores y adultos jóvenes, entrenamiento de vida. Estamos aquí para ayudarlo a navegar las incertidumbres del TDAH y unirnos para ayudar a su hijo a prosperar.

Is your child showing symptoms of ADHD? Connect with an expert today.