If your child is suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) you may be noticing some of these common symptoms:

• Your child has difficulty paying attention.
• Your child is easily distracted.
• Your child is unable to pay close attention.
• Your child has difficulty organizing things.
• Your child fails to finish tasks.
• Your child loses things.
• Your child avoids tasks requiring a lot of thought.
• Your child is forgetful.
• Your child does not seem to listen.

If your child has hyperactivity and impulsivity with attention deficit, commonly called ADHD, you may be noticing some of these symptoms:

• Your child fidgets or squirms.
• Your child has difficulty remaining seated.
• Your child is unable to play quietly.
• Your child is on the go (as though driven by a motor).
• Your child talks excessively.
• Your child blurts out answers.
• Your child has difficulty waiting for turn.
• Your child interrupts or intrudes.
• Your child runs around inappropriately.

At the Sleep & Attention Disorders Institute in Sterling Heights, Mich., we know it can be frustrating to watch your child suffer from attention deficit. Dr. Sangal can help.

He believes the first step is to make a true diagnosis of attention deficit (ADD or ADHD). Contact Dr. Sangal’s office at 586-254-0707 today. We are located in the Greater Detroit area, at the center of Shelby Township, Troy, Rochester Hills and Sterling Hts. Make an appointment to discuss your child’s medical situation. After thorough testing, Dr. Sangal can confirm a diagnosis. He can then suggest the best treatment in your child’s case.

Attention difficulties often begin early in childhood. They may become more obvious with increased work load. Attention deficit may be noticed upon starting school. Or it may be noticed upon graduation into middle school. It may really impair function in high school or college.

Hyperactivity and impulsivity are often also present. These are more common in boys. Girls and some boys may only have inattention. They may not be hyperactive. In these cases, attention deficit tends to get missed. Therefore, many girls suffer from attention deficit without getting help.

There are many reasons children show symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Not all children who have trouble paying attention or are easily distracted have attention deficit. Primary Attention Deficit (ADD/ ADHD) is a brain disorder. It runs in families and may be genetic. Here are some other conditions that may cause ADD/ADHD symptoms:

• Sleep Apnea
• Mood Disorders
• Learning Disabilities
• Seizures (especially generalized non-convulsive or petit mal seizures)
• Head injuries

Dr. Sangal has been diagnosing and treating children and adults with attention disorders for over 30 years. First, he will confirm that your child has symptoms which suggest attention deficit. Next, he will look for a cause. Usually attention deficit is primary and has no other cause. However, sleep problems, learning problems, mood problems and seizure disorders can cause attention deficit.

The FDA has approved the use of a brain wave or EEG-based test to confirm attention deficit (ADD/ADHD). Dr. Sangal will use that test and an improved test he pioneered to confirm the diagnosis. These tests are painless and take less than two hours.

It is hard to do well in school if your child cannot pay attention. Lack of attention can cause hyperactivity and behavior problems. It’s important to make sure your child is suffering from ADD (and not something else!) before treatment begins. Once we confirm attention deficit, Dr. Sangal will find the treatment that will work best for your child.

Read more about testing here.

If we find another cause for your child’s attention deficit, it should be treated. If we confirm primary attention deficit (ADD/ADHD), then we use medicines. Medicines are wonderful for treating attention deficit disorders. However, not all medicines are right for each child. We must use the right medicine, at the right dose. We perform EEG-based brain mapping tests. These show which medicine is most likely to work for your child. Dr. Sangal will not be satisfied until he has found a treatment that fully controls your child’s attention deficit disorder. Rest assured Dr. Sangal will find the right medicine for your child. Medicines may be:

Stimulants: These medicines affect certain brain chemicals (dopamine and norepinephrine). They work quickly but may be addictive. Methylphenidate (Ritalin^R) and Amphetamines (Adderall^R) are two stimulants used to treat ADD/ADHD in children. Amphetamines, especially short-acting ones, are more addicting and may be abused.

Stimulant medicines are not appropriate for all children with ADD/ADHD. In fact, they work very well for only 50 percent of patients. For another 20 percent they work only partially. They do not work at all for 30 percent of patients.

Non-Stimulants: These medicines also work on the same brain chemicals. These include:

• Atomoxetine (Strattera^R)
• Guanfacine (Intuniv^R)
• Imipramine used off-label
• Bupropion used off-label
• Atomoxetine also works very well for 50 percent of patients. So does imipramine.

Talk to Dr. Sangal about which medication will be best for your child.

Behavioral Treatment: Attention is improved first with medicines. This may be enough. If not, adding behavioral treatment to medicines may help further.