Impact of A Multidimensional Health Education Program on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Impact of A Multidimensional Health Education Program on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

To measure the impact of a multidimensional health education program on patients' adherence to the healthy life style and behavioral therapy , and to correlate it with severity of ADHD symptoms

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic neurodevelopmental disorder whose etiology is the result of complex interactions between multiple factors, including genetic, biological, and environmental influences. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behavior. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating, and may act on impulse. Symptoms of ADHD tend to be noticed at an early age and may become more noticeable when a child's circumstances change, such as when they start school. Most cases are diagnosed when children are 3 to 7 years old, but sometimes it's diagnosed later in childhood .

A mean worldwide prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or hyperkinetic disorder (HKD), of ~2.2% overall (range, 0.1-8.1%) has been estimated in children and adolescents (aged <18 years) . Regarding the prevalence of ADHD in Arabic countries, results from previous studies showed that it reached 9.4-21.8% in Egypt ,and 11.6% in Saudi Arabia .

Several harmful consequences are associated with ADHD, including deficient academic/work performance, social isolation, aggressive behavior (including delinquency and illegal acts), and even premature death from unnatural causes (such as accidents) Undesirable lifestyle factors could contribute directly to inattention and/or hyperactivity symptoms, numerous mechanisms exist that could mediate such effects, such as secondary effects on energy level, immune function, and epigenetic change.

Study findings showed that children with ADHD were approximately two times as likely to have a healthy lifestyle index that is lower than children without ADHD Multiple studies on alternative interventions for ADHD aim at the prevention of ADHD progression and targeting the underlying triggers (such as stress, poor sleep, overstimulation, technology or dietary plans). On the basis that making adequate lifestyle changes to minimize these triggers could contribute to better control of ADHD symptoms .

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients newly diagnosed with mild and moderate ADHD not receiving medications or behavioral therapy, aged 6-9 years, and parents are motivated to participate in the lifestyle modification program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Children with severe form of ADHD or with comorbid psychiatric disorders rather than disruptive behavior disorders, and children with an intelligence quotient score below 80 were excluded.