When a child is diagnosed with a disorder such as ADD, ADHD, ODD, anxiety disorder, Integration Dysfunction, Tourette disorder, Reactive Attachment disorder, Non-verbal Communication Disorder, Depression, Bipolar disorder or Aspergers syndrome, the underlying cause is almost always thought to be a chemical imbalance in the brain.
Recent studies, however, suggest that a chemical imbalance may in fact be a symptom, rather than the cause of such disorders, and if this is true, it may open the door to finding a cure that doesn’t involve heavily medicating your child with harmful drugs. Medication may still be needed in the case of some disorders, but the amount of medication may be able to be decreased, or even withdrawn, over time. To me, this is good news.
Ross W. Greene, Ph.D. suggests in his book, The Explosive child, that the underlying cause of most mood disorders, and social impairments, is really caused by a learning disability in the realm of “flexibility and frustration management. He explains that children who are diagnosed with one of these disorders, may in fact have a chemical imbalance, but they could benefit greatly from getting extra help in learning the basics of essential learning skills. Over time, having these skills will reduce the child’s frustration, which will in turn, lead to more stable chemical production in the brain.
Essential Learning Skills
There are six basic learning skills that a child who is diagnosed with a mood disorder could benefit from learning, with some extra help from their care takers. Dr. Greene suggests that parents, guardians, and teachers should work together collaboratively, to ensure the child’s success in the following areas.
Executive Skills
Many children who are diagnosed with mood disorders have difficulty shifting from one thought or task to another. They may also be unable to form a plan of action against the frustration that this brings or be unable to separate their emotional feelings from their thoughts while they are trying to solve problems.
When a child doesn’t know how to properly express their emotions, they may have outbursts, become combative or even flee from the scene. This is a natural and adaptive way of communicating, which can also be described as the “fight or flight mechanism.” Every creature on this planet uses this mechanism naturally when there is a feeling of danger. A child who has been diagnosed with a mood disorder such as Bipolar or anxiety may often feel that they are in danger for seemingly no reason and use this method of communication often.
Emotion Regulation Skills
Some children diagnosed with anxiety disorders Aspergers or ADHD will try to regulate their emotions by repeating actions, or performing rituals. This gives them a sense of control over their environment, but can also cause impaired social interactions. Teaching these children to find better ways to regulate their anxiety can be very beneficial for them.
Cognitive Flexibility Skills
If there is one therapy that can be described as “one size fit all,” for mood disorders, it would be cognitive therapy. In cognitive therapy, black and white thinking is described as a distorted thinking style. Teaching your child to see “shades of grey” in the world and in situations that upset them can help them cope when things don’t go the way they expect them to.
Social Skills
Children with mood disorders like ADHD, ODD, Aspergers, Tourrette syndrome and Reactive Attachment Disorder may have been diagnosed with their disorder based on the knowledge that they have trouble picking up and responding to cues from other people while they are involved in social situations. A little extra help in this area could really help these children.
Dealing with Triggers
A trigger can be described as the cause of an outburst. This can be something as simple as having to wake up and get dressed for school. The most important thing to know about a trigger is that it is not always best to deal with them as they happen. Triggers should be looked at as “problems that have yet to be solved” and should be broached at a time when all is calm, and the child is better able to think clearly and express themselves properly.
To learn how to teach these essential learning skills, it may be best to speak with your child’s psychologist or counselor and work together to form a plan that is best suited for your individual child’s needs. As with any other learning experience, it may take some time for your child to learn these needed skills. A child with a learning disability in reading will not learn how to read over night. The same can be said for essential learning skills.
With time and patience, you may see a decrease in your child’s outbursts and an increase in social adaptability after they learn these skills. I’m not saying that the medications used to treat chemical imbalance aren’t helpful for some children. Remember that a Chemical imbalance can cause physical symptoms that can effect a child’s ability to cope, much like a tension headache can effect the mood of a person who is usually able to control their emotions perfectly.
For others, learning these skills may be all they really need. It all depends on the severity of your child’s physical symptoms. Either way, learning these skills will benefit your child in many ways and can eventually lead to a decrease in the need for medications. Again, this will take the collaborative effort of family and other caretakers, but the overall results will be well worth the effort involved.
*Sources
Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.
Driven to Distraction
Ross W. Greene, Ph.D.
The Explosive Child
A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically
Inflexible Children
http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/nld.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger_syndrome
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anxiety_disorder
