The multiple meanings of ADHD: between deficit, disruption and hidden potential

The purpose of this article is to describe the subjective experience of the diagnosis of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the cultural meanings that shape this experience. Based on interviews and discussion groups with diagnosed people and their families in Chile and France, this article show that ADHD can acquire multiple meanings. From a thematic analysis, we identified three registers or ways of living and thinking about ADHD. In the deficit register, the disorder is experienced primarily as a failure of certain abilities. In the disruption register, the disorder is experienced as disrupting the person’s life, personality and interactions, which must then be normalized. In the register of hidden potential, on which this article focuses, ADHD is simultaneously thought of as a difficult and valuable condition, a source of exceptional capacities that are often hidden in the ordinary functioning of social life. We therefore invite reflection that identifies the factors of mobilization or non-mobilization of the hidden potential register, with particular emphasis not only on relational configurations, socio-economic variables, and the gender variable, but also on the institutional and political context of each country

Relación entre el IHO-S de niños con Síndrome de Down de 5 a 18 años de la Escuela especial Nuevo Mundo y el nivel de conocimiento de sus padres sobre salud e higiene oral

Tesis (Cirujano Dentista, Especialización en Odontopediatría)El siguiente estudio tuvo como propósito relacionar el nivel de conocimiento sobre salud e higiene bucal de los padres de los niños con síndrome de Down de la Escuela Especial Nuevo Mundo con el IHO-S de dichos niños. En la primera fase de la investigación se evaluó el nivel de conocimiento sobre salud e higiene bucal en 80 padres de niños con trisomía 21, para lo cual se utilizó como instrumento de medición un cuestionario de 9 preguntas. Posteriormente, se midió eiiHO-S en los 80 niños con síndrome de Down de 5 a 18 años. Se encontró una relación estadísticamente significativa positiva entre el nivel de conocimiento de los padres y el IHO-S encontrado en los niños con síndrome de Down (p<0.001). En la segunda fase de la investigación, la muestra se dividió en 2 grupos, un grupo A donde se realizó una sesión educativa promo- educacional a los padres de los niños de este grupo. El otro grupo actuó como control. Dos meses después de la intervención, se volvió a medir el IHO-S a los niños y se evaluó el impacto que generó la estrategia educativa en este índice. Se registró un impacto positivo estadísticamente significativo entre el IHO-S inicial y final, de los niños tras la aplicación de la estrategia educacional realizada a los padres (p<0.05)

The multiple meanings of ADHD: between deficit, disruption and hidden potential

Abstract The purpose of this article is to describe the subjective experience of the diagnosis of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the cultural meanings that shape this experience. Based on interviews and discussion groups with diagnosed people and their families in Chile and France, this article show that ADHD can acquire multiple meanings. From a thematic analysis, we identified three registers or ways of living and thinking about ADHD. In the deficit register, the disorder is experienced primarily as a failure of certain abilities. In the disruption register, the disorder is experienced as disrupting the person’s life, personality and interactions, which must then be normalized. In the register of hidden potential, on which this article focuses, ADHD is simultaneously thought of as a difficult and valuable condition, a source of exceptional capacities that are often hidden in the ordinary functioning of social life. We therefore invite reflection that identifies the factors of mobilization or non-mobilization of the hidden potential register, with particular emphasis not only on relational configurations, socio-economic variables, and the gender variable, but also on the institutional and political context of each country