ADHD

Introduction Of ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a mental health condition that can cause unusual levels of hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors. During teen years, especially as the hormonal changes of adolescence are going on and the demands of school and extracurricular activities are increasing, ADHD symptoms may get worse.

Symptoms

Keep a look out for some of the following signs in your teenager.

Lack of focus, distractibility - trouble staying on task, poor concentration leading to procrastination
Self-focused behavior - difficult to recognize what other people want or need, trouble compromising with others
Fidgeting - Restlessness, difficult to sit still without squirming or getting up, daydreaming.
Heightened emotionality - people with ADHD may not reach the emotional maturity of a typical 21-year-old until their late 20s or early 30s. angry outbursts and overly dramatic scenes may play out in inappropriate circumstances.
Fear of rejection - High emotions can be triggered by rejection, teasing, or criticism.
Impulsivity - resisting temptation may be particularly difficult, potentially leading to dangerous decisions.
Difficulty following a conversation - appearing not to listen, even when someone is speaking directly to them, interrupting, talking too much, leaving mid-conversation, butting into others’ conversations
Trouble working quietly - Quiet activities are generally not easy, may find it difficult to sit and read or work on a project by themselves.
Hyperactivity - Always “on the go” - Teens tend to have fewer hyperactive symptoms than younger children with ADHD. But some are a flurry of activity.
Trouble reading social cues - may not realize it when they’ve interrupted or annoyed someone
Difficulty following directions and disorganization - Lack of focus, restlessness, and mind-wandering can make detailed instructions nearly impossible to follow.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of ADHD requires more than the key symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity.

Not only do children need to have 6 or more symptoms (5 or more for adults) for at least 6 months, they also need to:

have some symptoms before the age of 12
show symptoms in at least two different settings, including at school, home, work, with friends, or during other activities
have symptoms severe enough to interfere with function at school, work, or in social situations and affect quality of life

Next Steps and Intervention

There are many opinions when it comes to treating ADHD in teens. Some experts believe that behavior therapy alone may work for teenagers. But according to the National Institute of Mental Health, about 80% of those who needed medication for ADHD as children still need medication in their teen years.

Usually, a combination of medication and behavior therapy is best in helping teens with ADHD navigate the world. At Skooc, behavioral therapy may include

Teaching teen and their parents learn how to cope with emotions
Social Skills training
Problem solving
Organizational skills

Testimonials

Reema Gupta

Parent

"My daughter lost 11 kgs across the Skooc program which was more than 10% of her body weight and has stayed in the healthy range of BMI since then. She now makes the right decisions regarding her foods and is aware of the effect of what she eats and her exercise on her weight.

Krishnaa Reddy

Adult

Skooc has helped my daughter get into a great shape physically and mentally. She has lost more than 15 kgs and has improved her health metrics enough that she is no longer at risk of chronic diseases. The program worked with my daughter and me to help us understand how to correct what we were doing. Very importantly, Avi and I no longer fight over what she eats and what she does not.

Sheela Modi

Parent

My son has lost 15 kgs and I lost 10 kgs through the Skooc program. It was easily paced and did not ever restrict my child from eating anything that was essential. He had a balanced meal everyday and he and his counsellor agreed on a schedule that was easy for me to cook too. From a child who watched TV all the time and ate junk food, Ayaan is now an active child and a healthy eater who is very happy and confident with how he looks.

Priya Somnath

Client, Philadelphia

Manish was severely obese with a risk of contracting chronic conditions. After joining the Skooc program, he has lost over 15 Kgs and has started to exercises everyday for 45 minutes. He suffered from pain in the knees which has gone now and he is able to run and play with his friends. It has been 1 year since he started to lose weight and he is still in the process successfully losing wight and getting healthy.

Josephine

Client, Philadelphia

Ria was teased very badly in school for being fat and would be very embarrassed about even going out. When we went to the doctor we were shocked to find out that she was very overweight and had high cholesterol. We joined Skooc and both she and I have dropped our extra weight and even after finishing the full course are able to stick with the habits we learnt at Skooc. We are both very happy with our new healthy bodies.

Maya Singh

Client, Philadelphia

My son suffered from constant digestive issues and obesity. He found it very difficult to run and play due to his thighs being very fat and also he suffered from pains in his knees, hips. He also had trouble breathing after even walking a small distance. We joined Skooc because we had tried to put Jay on a diet before and it had not worked. At Skooc, he dropped 24Kgs and is now a teenager who was healthily and works out everyday. I personally dropped 16Kgs and now we are both very close to entering our ideal weight zone

ADHD

Introduction Of ADHD

Lack of focus, distractibility - trouble staying on task, poor concentration leading to procrastination

Self-focused behavior - difficult to recognize what other people want or need, trouble compromising with others

Fidgeting - Restlessness, difficult to sit still without squirming or getting up, daydreaming.

Heightened emotionality - people with ADHD may not reach the emotional maturity of a typical 21-year-old until their late 20s or early 30s. angry outbursts and overly dramatic scenes may play out in inappropriate circumstances.

Fear of rejection - High emotions can be triggered by rejection, teasing, or criticism.

Impulsivity - resisting temptation may be particularly difficult, potentially leading to dangerous decisions.

Difficulty following a conversation - appearing not to listen, even when someone is speaking directly to them, interrupting, talking too much, leaving mid-conversation, butting into others’ conversations

Trouble working quietly - Quiet activities are generally not easy, may find it difficult to sit and read or work on a project by themselves.

Hyperactivity - Always “on the go” - Teens tend to have fewer hyperactive symptoms than younger children with ADHD. But some are a flurry of activity.

Trouble reading social cues - may not realize it when they’ve interrupted or annoyed someone

Difficulty following directions and disorganization - Lack of focus, restlessness, and mind-wandering can make detailed instructions nearly impossible to follow.

Testimonials

Reema Gupta

Krishnaa Reddy

Sheela Modi

Priya Somnath

Josephine

Maya Singh