A three-year-old boy was found having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when his parents shifted from Canada to India. His parents took him to the child guidance clinic at Fortis Hospital,where doctors said the reason for the condition was difficulty in adjustment at a new place. His parents were recommended to give him a caffeine-free diet for two to three months. With time,his hyperactivity was cured. Cases of hyperactivity,characterised by the inability to concentrate or make careless mistakes,are on a rise. Experts say the number of children visiting psychiatry clinics is rising at an average 10 per cent every year. Dr Priti Arun of the Psychiatry Department at GMCH-32,said around 150 new cases of hyperactivity come to the clinics every year. Also,studies have pointed out that four to five per cent children in the city suffer from the condition. Though the disorder is being increasingly detected due to more aware parents and teachers,the fact remains that far too many children do not get any treatment at all, Dr Arun said. If the disorder is treated in time,a large number of children can be helped to perform better in studies. Dr Sandeep Jain,consultant pediatrician at Fortis Hospital,said,Not every hyperactive child has a disorder. Hyperactivity is normal in children between 18 months to three years old. Below that age or above six years,it can be dangerous. At Fortis,Dr Jain ends up seeing five to six new cases every month and in one year,there has been a 10 per cent rise. Dr Ruchi,a psychologist at Chetanya Hospital,says more than 30 per cent of the children coming to the hospital have ADHD. We get around six to seven new cases each month. But we have seen a rise of 30 per cent in one year. The number of cases is rising primarily due to increased parental awareness, she said. Doctors say if diagnosed and treated at the right time,a child can be fully cured of ADHD. After films like Taare Zameen Par and My Name Is Khan,which dealt with dyslexia and Aspergers Syndrome,parents and school authorities have made it a point to be aware of such disorders, says Dr Rachna Bhargav,Associate Professor in the Psychiatry Department,GMCH-32,said. Dr Bhargav says many cases that come to them are generally referred by teachers. Reasons for ADHD * Changing family environment * Nuclear families with both parents working * Watching television excessively Predominant characteristics * Inattentive to details * Makes careless mistakes * Has trouble staying focused and is easily distracted * Frequently loses or misplaces books,toys or other items * Appears not to listen when being talked to * Blurts out answers without waiting to be called * Difficulty in waiting for his or her turn * Interrupts others during conversations or activities * Frequent emotional outbursts
