October is the month that raises awareness about Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Four Corners Community Behavioral Health Executive Director, Melissa Huntington wanted to share some information with Castle Country Radio listeners about ADHD.

“So ADHD is Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and people can have both attention deficit and hyperactivity or they can have one or the other. It’s a brain chemistry thing so its not something that really kids choose to have or adults choose to have. Its something within the way their brain is developed and its just functions a little differently than the neurotypical brain,” stated Huntington. She is very passionate about this topic as she has a daughter who was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age so she understands the journey that a parent can face with a child with ADHD.

Children with ADHD have trouble staying focused and can easily be distracted or get bored with a task before its completed.  “The thing about ADHD is people with ADHD have a lot of great focus with things that they are super interested in. So they’ll know a whole lot or be very focused on things like art or cars or whatever is their interest. But its really hard for their brain to focus on things that are kind of mundane and things that you typically would learn in schools,” said Huntington. If you child is showing signs of ADHD at home, during school and in social situations it may be time to get them tested for ADHD.

Over the years many people didn’t think that ADHA was a true medical condition but have since changed their tune. “It’s a really important thing for people to understand and know that this is genuine diagnosis, that it’s treatable, and there’s also a lot of really great qualities about individuals with ADHD,” said Huntington. Some of those qualities include creativity, spontaneity, problem solving skills, and enthusiasm.

Four Corners Community Behavioral Health offers services to those with ADHD or who may need to be tested for ADHD. “We have prescribers that work with us that will obviously be very familiar with the signs and symptoms of ADHD and can prescribe medicine. But not all kids and adults need to be on medicine for ADHD it just depends on kind of the severity, the need and their ability to gain skills so therapy is also an option. Sometimes a combination of both is the best thing for some individuals to kind of get them reorganized in their life,” said Huntington.

For more information or services about ADHD contact Four Corners Community Behavioral Health at (435) 637-2358.