ADHD - Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD is an acronym for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It is considered a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the lives of a significant number of children and teens. Although ADHD is one of the most researched childhood disorders, the exact cause is still uncertain. The symptoms of ADHD can cause difficulty and sometimes failure in school, social settings, and family life as well as cause low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and substance use. Medication has long been the traditional treatment for this disorder and can be extremely effective for some, but many factors contribute to the fact that after a year of starting medication, only 33-50% are still taking it. At ABC Counseling Services, Jamie Christiansen provides appropriate psychoeducation about the neurobiology of ADHD, teaches mindfulness skills, assists children to create a positive self-esteem and narrative, assists parents in addressing their children’s sleep patterns and nutrition which are unique markers to the ADHD brain, and provides parenting skills specific to ADHD symptoms.