According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first record of the usage of the word “retard” is from circa 1489. Then, the word meant to keep back, hinder, or impede.

Today, the word “retard” is used in commonly used as a replacement for the word “idiot” or “dummy”. Not only has the definition of the word changed, but the nature of word has been altered as well, being more commonly spoken as a noun, as opposed to it’s original verb tense.

The word “retard” was first found printed in American newspapers in 1704. It was used to describe the slowing down or the diminishing of something.

The current U.S. bill refers to: “A hospital or a nursing facility or intermediate-care facility for the mentally retarded . . .”

Some have suggested that this phrasing could cause more problems with advocates for the developmentally disabled, who were angered recenly when President Obama referred to his poor bowling skills on “The Tonight Show” as “like the Special  Olympics.” (President Obama later apologized).

So, is this Politically Correctness out of control? Or is the use of the word retarded appropriate when written in the context of referring to the, now commonly labled, developmentally disabled?

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ADHD Quiz / Assessment Interview

If you suspect the person is experiencing ADHD, use this symptom checklist to better determine.

The American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP) considers it necessary that the following be present before diagnosing a child with ADHD

• The behaviors must appear before age 7.
• They must continue for at least six months.
• The symptoms must also create a real handicap in at least two of the following areas of the child’s life:
  • in the classroom
  • on the playground
  • at home
  • in the community, or
  • in social settings

There are some circumstances in which a child or adolescent’s behavior might seem like ADHD, but might

not actually be ADHD. Many other conditions and situations can trigger behavior that resembles ADHD. For example, a child might show ADHD symptoms when experiencing:

• A death or divorce in the family, a parent’s job loss, or other sudden change
• Undetected seizures
• An ear infection that causes temporary hearing problems
• Problems with schoolwork caused by a learning disability
• Anxiety or depression
• Insufficient or poor quality sleep

ADHD Therapy Advice

It is normal for every person to zone out in a boring biology class, forget their homework in the kitchen counter, and act in a excited—high energy way. This is not ADHD. Persons with ADHD experience these issues to a degree that is drastically negatively impacts their performance in school and in life.

When helping someone with ADHD, a multimodal approach is often used. Medication in combination with therapy has been found effective in treating ADHD. Informing teachers, coaches, and others is also an effective approach to ensure appropriate approached to learned are used with the person with ADHD.

ADHD Counseling Therapy Action Steps

Below are several action steps for helping a person with ADHD.

1) Medication

Certain medicines can help people with ADHD by improving their focus and attention and reducing the impulsiveness and hyperactivity associated with ADHD. People with ADHD used to have to take medicine several times a day, but now there are some that can be taken at home once a day in the morning.

2) Counseling Therapy

Counseling can be used to help the person learn new strategies for coping with ADHD symptoms. In addition, family counseling helps treat ADHD because it keeps parents informed and also shows them ways they can work with their kids to help.

3) Maintain structure and supervision.

One of the hardest parts of helping a person with ADHD is that a higher level of structure will consistently be necessary. Parents of ADHD persons often ask “when can we finally relax the increased structure we have created to monitor our person’s school performance and home behavior?” The answer is often that parents should maintain the established structure until the person leaves for college. This does not mean being a prison warden, this means adding additional structure and supervision to help the person be happy and succeed .

4) Remember ADHD is a Disability.

Parents must remember that their person with ADHD has a neurologically based disability, and that there is a “can’t do” as well as a “won’t do” component to their unthinking actions. This means that parents of person with ADHD need to provide an extra helping of grace, patience, and forgiveness with their person.

5) Help them build on their Strengths.

Having ADHD is not just practically difficult for a person, it is also emotionally difficult. Parents and caretakers should be a constant positive force in the life of a person with ADHD. In addition, help the person find and build on his or her strengths. Personal strengths always overshadow the weaknesses caused by having ADHD.

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ADHD Therapy and ADHD Information

Portraits

Chris tries harder than everyone else in his class, but he keeps falling short. He makes the silliest mistakes, he forgets his homework, he daydreams in class, and he only finishes half of the exam before the timer buzzes. His teacher calls a conference with his parents, “I’ve seen this before, and I don’t think it’s because he’s not trying…” his teacher begins to explain.

“Julie, sit still” her mother says. “I don’t get it, you said you wanted me to get you this movie, and now you’re not even watching it!” Julie tries to explain, “I want to watch it, I just can’t sit still for two hours for anything!”

Definitions and Key Thoughts

ADHD is generally a lifetime disorder.

30 to 50% of individuals diagnosed with ADHD in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood.

Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop methods of coping to deal with any impairments of normal functioning caused by ADHD. However, many aspects of daily life can by more difficult for one with ADHD.

ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders. The American Psychiatric Association estimates that between 3 and 7 percent of children suffer from ADHD, and many other children who don’t actually qualify for the diagnosis still struggle with significant symptoms.

Kids with ADHD are chronically inattentive, hyperactive, or both—so much so that their daily lives are disrupted. They have trouble paying attention in class, doing their homework, finishing their chores, and adjusting their behavior to meet the demands of a situation. As a result, they struggle in their friendships, family relationships, and in school performance. There are three types of ADHD:

THE INATTENTIVE TYPE
Kids with ADHD have problems paying attention, especially with difficult learning tasks such as memorizing their multiplication tables, reading their assignments, or listening to their mom or dad’s lectures. Other characteristics of inattentive kids include:

· Lack of organization

· Difficulty finishing tasks

· Lack of attention to detail

· Tendency to get distracted

· Withdrawn or shy behavior

· Difficulty with social conversations

THE HYPERACTIVE–IMPULSIVE TYPE

Kids with ADHD are not necessarily more active than their peers on the playground. But when they come in from recess, they have trouble calming down. They can’t sit still, and they disrupt the rest of their classmates with their loud voices and boisterous activity.

They also have difficulty delaying gratification. Renowned ADHD expert Russel Barkely describes these kids as being “creatures of the moment.” They will spend all their allowance each week rather than save up for something nice. Hyperactive-impulsive kids also display:

· Frequent fidgeting

· Over-talkativeness

· Difficulty sitting or standing still

· Overactivity (running, jumping, climbing)

· Impulsiveness

· Restlessness

· Aggressive behavior

· Inappropriate social behavior (such as grabbing things
and speaking out of turn)

Although ADHD begins in childhood, often it is not diagnosed until a person is a person, and occasionally ADHD can go undiagnosed until a person reaches adulthood.

Because ADHD is a broad category that manifests in different ways (i.e., attention, activity, and impulsivity), ADHD can people in contrasting ways. Some of the signs of ADHD include:

Difficulty paying attention

Difficulty staying focused on a task or activity

Difficulty finishing assignments at school or home

Jumping from one activity to another

Difficulty focusing on instructions

Loses or forgets things such as homework

Becoming easily distracted, even with recreational activities

Difficulty paying close attention to details

Making careless or simple mistakes

Difficulty organizing tasks and activities

Difficulty waiting one’s turn

Interrupting or intruding on other people

Blurting out answers before questions have been completed

Fidgeting with hands or feet or squirms about when seated

Difficulty engaging in activities quietly

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90801
Psychological Diagnostic Interview Examination (Includes report prep time 90885)

90802
Interactive Diagnostic Interview (with language interpreter or other mechanisms)

90804
Individual medical psychotherapy, 20 – 30 minutes for Inpatient (inpatient = 90816)

90806
Individual medical psychotherapy, 45 – 50 minutes for Inpatient (inpatient = 90818)

90808
Individual medical psychotherapy, 75 – 80 minutes for Inpatient (inpatient = 90812)

90847
Family Psychotherapy with patient Present (90846 without patient present; 90849 Multiple-family group psychotherapy)

90853
Group psychotherapy

96101
Psychological testing, interpretation and reporting per hour by a psychologist (Per Hour)

96102
Psychological testing per hour by a technician (Per Hour)

96103
Psychological testing by a computer, including time for the psychologist’s interpretation and reporting (Per Hour)

96105
Assessment of Aphasia

96111
Developmental Testing, Extended

96115
Neurobehavioral Status Exam (Per Hour)

96116
Chart Review, Scoring and Interpretation of Instruments, Note-Writing

96118
Neuropsychological testing, interpretation and reporting per hour by a psychologist

96119
Neuropsychological testing per hour by a technician

96120
Neuropsychological testing by a computer, including time for the psychologist’s interpretation and reporting

96150
Health & Behavioral Assessment – Initial

96151
Reassessment

96152
Health & Behavior Intervention – Individual

96153
Health & Behavior Intervention – Group

96154
Health & Behavior Intervention – Family with Patient

96155
Health & Behavior Intervention – Family without Patient

97770
Cognitive Rehabilitation

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If your score is 10 or above, you many have an alcohol dependence problem, such as alcoholism. Please note that this self-test is not an official diagnosis, and is not a replacement for a professional consultation with a doctor. If you are concerned that you have a problem with alcohol use, please consult with a health professional such as your primary care physician, a mental health professional, or a drug and alcohol treatment specialist. Alcoholism is treatable.

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