childadvocate
2009-10-07 02:14:11 UTC
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100191637
Diagnosis: ADHD-or Is It Trauma? Hyperactive, yes. Attention problems,
check. But it's not ADHD.
By Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness Medically Reviewed By:
George T. Grossberg, M.D.
...In Chemtob's 9/11 study, even children who saw people jump from the
towers tended not to have lasting problems. But preschoolers who had
experienced multiple traumatic events were 16 times more likely to
have attention problems-and 21 times more likely to be overly
emotionally reactive and/or to show symptoms of depression and anxiety-
than children who had not had such experiences.
But, if other studies of similar children are a guide, many of these
severely affected children would probably not meet criteria for post-
traumatic stress disorder. Studies following children with known
trauma exposure find that they are much more likely to suffer other
anxiety disorders or depression than classic PTSD.
Indeed, despite the high prevalence of potentially traumatizing
experiences, less than half a percent of the children followed in the
North Carolina study could be diagnosed with PTSD. However, 40 percent
of those who had had such experiences qualified for at least one
diagnosis, often depression or anxiety disorders.
As a result, many traumatized children whose behavior has clearly been
affected by their experiences aren't diagnosed with PTSD-or diagnosed
at all. Chemtob notes that "virtually none" of the children in his
study were getting any kind of treatment, despite symptoms severe
enough to warrant it.
page 2
...Trauma can also produce what's known as a "dissociative" reaction.
When a threat is physically inescapable, the body prepares for injury
by slowing heart rate and breathing. The brain is flooded with
endogenous opioids-the brain's own painkillers-which cause numbness.
In extreme cases, the person feels like he has "left his body" and is
watching events from outside.
A sight, sound, smell or memory can trigger a return to this state.
"Children may space out and appear to be daydreaming," Putnam says.
"They lose contact with reality and become involved in an internal
world. Teachers see a child who is never paying attention. They still
have their math book out when the teacher has moved on to history."
Many children who are diagnosed with ADHD, Putnam believes, may
actually be suffering from trauma. "There is probably a significant
group of kids with traumatic hypervigilance or dissociation that
interferes with attention and increases arousal and activity levels,"
who are misdiagnosed, he says.
What's worse, children suffering trauma symptoms actually have higher
than normal levels of neurotransmitters like adrenaline and
noradrenaline (norepinephrine), according to Putnam. These same
transmitters are raised even further by stimulants like Ritalin that
are commonly prescribed for ADHD.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100191637
Diagnosis: ADHD-or Is It Trauma? Hyperactive, yes. Attention problems,
check. But it's not ADHD.
By Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness Medically Reviewed By:
George T. Grossberg, M.D.
...In Chemtob's 9/11 study, even children who saw people jump from the
towers tended not to have lasting problems. But preschoolers who had
experienced multiple traumatic events were 16 times more likely to
have attention problems-and 21 times more likely to be overly
emotionally reactive and/or to show symptoms of depression and anxiety-
than children who had not had such experiences.
But, if other studies of similar children are a guide, many of these
severely affected children would probably not meet criteria for post-
traumatic stress disorder. Studies following children with known
trauma exposure find that they are much more likely to suffer other
anxiety disorders or depression than classic PTSD.
Indeed, despite the high prevalence of potentially traumatizing
experiences, less than half a percent of the children followed in the
North Carolina study could be diagnosed with PTSD. However, 40 percent
of those who had had such experiences qualified for at least one
diagnosis, often depression or anxiety disorders.
As a result, many traumatized children whose behavior has clearly been
affected by their experiences aren't diagnosed with PTSD-or diagnosed
at all. Chemtob notes that "virtually none" of the children in his
study were getting any kind of treatment, despite symptoms severe
enough to warrant it.
page 2
...Trauma can also produce what's known as a "dissociative" reaction.
When a threat is physically inescapable, the body prepares for injury
by slowing heart rate and breathing. The brain is flooded with
endogenous opioids-the brain's own painkillers-which cause numbness.
In extreme cases, the person feels like he has "left his body" and is
watching events from outside.
A sight, sound, smell or memory can trigger a return to this state.
"Children may space out and appear to be daydreaming," Putnam says.
"They lose contact with reality and become involved in an internal
world. Teachers see a child who is never paying attention. They still
have their math book out when the teacher has moved on to history."
Many children who are diagnosed with ADHD, Putnam believes, may
actually be suffering from trauma. "There is probably a significant
group of kids with traumatic hypervigilance or dissociation that
interferes with attention and increases arousal and activity levels,"
who are misdiagnosed, he says.
What's worse, children suffering trauma symptoms actually have higher
than normal levels of neurotransmitters like adrenaline and
noradrenaline (norepinephrine), according to Putnam. These same
transmitters are raised even further by stimulants like Ritalin that
are commonly prescribed for ADHD.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100191637