Health - ADHD 'is not bad behaviour'

A child is being disruptivein the classroom - not paying attention,
talking and annoying those around him. Does he haveAttention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder? Oris he simply badly-behaved?
It is a question many parents may have asked themselves about their
child or about someone else's.
But experts say if parents think their child may haveADHD, they are
probably right.
Bad behaviour is intermittent and often premeditated, experts say.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, onthe other hand, affects a
child in all aspects of its life.
So a child letting off steam and running around the house when they
come home from school is not a problem initself.
But if teachers are also reporting they are failing to pay attention
in the classroom, and they do not seem to have many friends it may be
that they do need a specialist assessment.
'No clue'
Andrea Bilbow. chief executive of the charity ADDISS, (The National
Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service), which
helps families affected by the condition, says ADHD "is not about a
badly-behaved child".
She adds: "It's about a problem in the brain which means a child
can'tregulate their behaviour or emotion. They don't learn from their
mistakes and they can't plan or organise, and they have difficulties
with their short-term memory.
"The bad-behaviour label is just used by people who don't have a clue."
Ms Bilbow, who has a child with ADHD herself, said parents are aware
there is something wrongfrom an early age.
"Even when he was at nursery I knew. You hope things will improve,
even though you know really that they won't."
Professor Tim Kendall who oversaw the compilation of guidelines on
treating ADHD for the National Institute for health and Clinical
Excellence (NICE), said:"When parents are saying'this is getting
really difficult and nursery or school is saying the child is
difficult to look after, then it's time to get an assessment."
But the arguments around ADHD aren't solelyfocussed on the diagnosis.
There is also debate about what causes it.
The latest research suggests it is linked, at least in some cases, to
a genetic fault.
Drug debate
But even the researcher behind the study say theirfinding will not
explain all cases of ADHD, and thata child's environment alsomatters.
Peter Hill, an honorary consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital and
ADHD expert, said linking the condition to genetic factors was not new
- and was certainly not the whole answer.
"We've known there was a link for the last 20 years.What this study
has done is shown what kind of genetic abnormalities might be
involved.
"But there are both genetic and environmental causes, and their
environmental factors are many."
Professor Kendall agreed genes and environment both played a part and
warned it would be wrong to focus solely on genetics.
He warned" It does relieve some people because they think 'it's not my
fault - my child was just born like this'.
"The important thing is making sure these kids get really good
treatment. If people thinkit's just a biological problem they will
only look for biological solutions - medications."
He said the first option for a child should be to try and help them
manage their behaviour and support for them in the classroom. Parents
can also learn methods of managing their child's behaviour, such as
introducing strict routines.
Only in severe cases should drugs like Ritalin be used, he added.
However, whether or not to use medication is yet another area that
causes argument.
Andrea Antunes, whose son takes daily medication for his ADHD, said it
had changed his life.
"He's doing well at school.He's also making friends and being invited
to parties - which he wasn't before.
"Who am I to deprive himof that?"

Health - ADHD treatment 'mayreduce risk of criminal behaviour'

People with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder who are involved
in crime are less likely to reoffend when on treatment than not, a
Swedish study shows.
Earlier studies suggest people with ADHD are more likely to commit
offences than the general population.
Providing better access to medication may reduce crime and save money,
experts and support groups say.
Researchers say the benefits of the drugs must be weighed against harms.
In the UK 3% of childrenhave a diagnosis of ADHD, with half of them
continuing to have the condition in adult life.
People with the disorder have to deal with problems with
concentration, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Estimates suggest between 7-40% of people in the criminal justice
system may haveADHD and other similar disorders, though in many cases
the condition is not formally recognised.
We want people to have personal choice...no one is trying to force
peopleto take drugs
Prof Philip Asherson, Psychiatrist
Researchers from the Karolinska Institute looked at data from over
25,000 people with ADHD in Sweden.
Less impulsiveness
They found people withADHD were more likely to commit crime (37% of
men and 15% of women) than adults without the condition (9% of men and
2% women).
The study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found when
people took their medication they were 32-41% less likely to be
convicted ofa crime than when theywere off medication fora period of
six months or more.
Dr Seena Fazel, an author of the study and from Oxford University,
says medication may reduce impulsive choices and may enablepeople to
better organise their lives - allowing them to stay inemployment and
maintain relationships.
Co-author Prof Paul Lichtenstein says: "It is said that roughly 30 to
40% of long-serving criminals have ADHD. If their chances of
recidivism can be reduced by 30%, it would clearly affect the total
crime numbers in many societies."
'Personal responsibility'
Prof Philip Asherson, a psychiatrist and president of the UK Adult
ADHD network, who was not involved in the study says: "We want people
to have personal choice and personal responsibility -no-one is trying
to force people to take drugs."
He points out it costs £100-£300 a month to provide medication for
someone with ADHD, and taking into accountthe costs of unemployment
and the criminal justice system, these would "vastly outweigh" the
costs of medication, he says.
The authors caution that the side effects of the drugs used, such as
Ritalin, must be taken into account.
"There are of course a lot of people with ADHD in the population who
are not involved in crime.
"But for some people with the condition - if you don't treat them,
they will try to treat themselves with street drugs," says Andrea
Bilbow, founder of the National Attention Deficit Disorder Information
and Support Service, Addis.
"A referral to specialist adult services can cost £1,500 - compare
this with the amount of money you can save if you keep people out of
prison - it's a no brainer."
'Better support'
The researchers looked at a variety of crimes - from petty crime to
violent crime, finding a reduction in all of thesewhen people took
medication.
They acknowledge when offered medication, individuals may also get
more attention from other support services - this could contribute to
the reduction in criminal behaviour.
Prof Sue Bailey, president of the Royal College of Psychiatry,
welcomes the study saying it "reminds us in an era of psychological
therapies that medication can have a positive impact too".
The authors of the study point out ADHD can exist alongside other
conditions such as conduct disorders, calling for further work to
untangle the contribution these may make to criminal behaviour.
They feel the Swedish findings are applicable to the UK and much of
Western Europe where rates of ADHD in children and the medication
prescribed are broadly similar.

--

- - - - -

And Allah Knows the Best!

- - - - -

Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA

¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤

Signs of the Hour - What are the questions that a person will be asked on the Day of Resurrection?

Could u please tell us relating the 'Day of judgement' it's
tortures,the questions that wud be asked.
Praise be to Allaah.
It is proven in the Qur'aan and Sunnah thatwhen a person dies, he will
be called to account for every major and minor action he did in this
world, whether it was good or bad. He willbe rewarded for his good
deeds and punished for his bad deeds. The first stage of that
reckoning is in the grave. In the grave the first thing a person will
be asked will be: Who was your Lord? What is your religion? Who is
this man who was sent amongst you? – as was narrated in the hadeeth of
al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him), which was
narrated by Abu Dawoodin his Sunan (4753) and classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 2979.
Then on the Day of Resurrection he will be brought to account for
every major and minor action, even though he has already been brought
to account for that in the grave. The first thing for which he will be
brought to account for then will be his prayer.
It was narrated from AbuHurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allaah be upon him) said: "The first thing among their deeds for
which the people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection
will be prayer. Our Lord will say to His angels, although He knows
best, 'Look at My slave's prayer, is it complete or lacking?' If it is
complete, it will be recorded as complete, but if it is lacking, He
willsay, 'Look and see whether my slave did any voluntary (naafil)
prayers.' If he had done voluntary prayers, He will say, 'Complete the
obligatory prayers of My slave from his voluntary prayers.' Then the
rest ofhis deeds will be examined in a similar manner."
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, 864; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood, 770).
On the Day of Resurrection, people willbe asked about other matters,
including the following:
It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) that
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
sonof Adam will not be dismissed from before his Lord on the Day of
Resurrection until he hasbeen questioned about five things: his life
and how he spent it, his youth and how he used it, his wealth and how
he earned it and how hedisposed of it, and how he acted upon what he
acquired of knowledge."
(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi,2422; classed as hasan byal-Albaani in Saheeh
al-Tirmidhi, 1969)
And the nations will be asked on the Day of Resurrection:
"What answer gave you to the Messengers?"
[al-Qasas 28:65 – interpretation of the meaning]
These are some of the things about which people will be asked on the
Day of Resurrection. So the wise person who is keen to save himself
should prepare answers to these questions. We ask Allaah to guide us
to the straight path.
And Allaah knows best.

Signs of the Hour - The fate of kuffaar who did not hear the message of Islam

Someone has asked me this question (she is about to
become a muslimah). Her statement: 'A lot of others will never meet a
Muslim in person. Will they be held responsible for their ignorance?
What exactly does this mean: "After the revelation of the Quran who
ever receives this message & does not abide by it is a non-believer"?
i. Who is considered to have received the message?
ii. Isn't it possible for people to have not received the message even
though the Quran is in existence?'
Praise be to Allaah.
It is part of the justice of Allaah that He does not punish any people
until He has first sent a warning to them and unless there is evidence
against them. Allaah does not treat anybody unfairly. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): "… And We never punish until We have
sent a Messenger (to give warning)." [al-Israa' 17:15].
In his tafseer (commentary) on this aayah, Ibn Katheer (may Allaah
have mercy on him) said: "These words, '…And We never punish until We
have sent a Messenger (to give warning)' tell us of the justice of
Allaah, may He be exalted, and that He does not punish anyone until
after He has established evidence against him by sending aMessenger to
him. This islike the aayat (interpretation of the meaning): '… Every
time a group is cast therein [into Hell], its keeper willask, "Did no
warner come to you?" They will say, "Yes indeed; a warner did come to
us, but we belied him and said: 'Allaah never sent down anything (of
revelation), you are only in great error.'"' [al-Mulk67:8] and: 'And
those who disbelieved will be driven to Hell in groups, till, when
they reach it, the gates thereof will be opened (suddenly like a
prison at the arrival of its prisoners). And its keepers will say,
"Did not the Messengers come to you from yourselves, - reciting to you
the Verses of your Lord, and warning you of the Meeting of this Day of
yours?" They will say: "Yes, but the Word of torment has been
justified against the disbelievers!"' [al-Zumar 39:71]…"
A person who has never heard of Islam or the Prophet SAWS (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), and who has never heard the message
in its correct and true form, will not be punished by Allaah if he
dies in a state of kufr (disbelief). If it were asked what his fate
will be, the answer will be that Allaah will test him on the Day of
Resurrection: if he obeys, he will enter Paradise and if he disobeys
he will enter Hell. The evidence (daleel) for this is the hadeeth of
al-Aswad ibn Saree', who reported that the Prophet of Allaah SAWS
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "There are four (who
will protest) to Allaah on the Day of Resurrection: the deaf man who
never heard anything, the insane man, the very old man, and the man
who died during the fatrah (the interval between the time of 'Eesaa
(Jesus, upon whom be peace) and the time of Muhammad SAWS (peaceand
blessings of Allaah be upon him)). The deaf man will say, 'O Lord,
Islam came but I never heard anything.' The insane man will say, 'O
Lord, Islam came but the children ran after me and threw stones at
me.'The very old man will say, 'O Lord, Islam came but I did not
understand anything.' The man who died during the fatrah will say, 'O
Lord, no Messenger from You came to me.' He will accept their promises
of obedience, then word will be sent to them to enter the Fire. By the
One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if they enter it, it will
be cool and safe for them."
According to another report, he said: "Whoever enters it, it will be
cool and safe for him, and whoever does not enter it will be dragged
to it." (The hadeeth was reported by Imaam Ahmad and Ibn Hibbaan, and
deemed saheeh by al-Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami', 881).
Everyone who hears the message of Islam in a sound and correct form
(and rejects it), will haveevidence aginst him. Whoever dies without
having heard the message, or having heard it in a distorted form, then
his case is in the hands of Allaah. Allaah knows best about His
creation, and He will never treat anyone unfairly. And Allaah is
All-Seer of His slaves.