Parents beware: ADHD diagnoses could be incorrect
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

Children with short attention spans who can't sit still for long and experience frequent "meltdown" temper tantrums are often diag- nosed with ADD or another spec- trum disorder, but the diagnosis may be incorrect, some experts say.

Spectrum disorders include at- tention deficit disorder, hyperactiv- ity or both; obsessive compulsive disorder; oppositional defiance dis- order, and even autism.

To control impulsivity, anxiety or other symptoms of such disor- ders, many youngsters are placed on mood-altering medication- drugs that alleviate stress and help them cope with their day-to-day lives.

New research is pointing to a different diagnosis-sensory inte- gration dysfunction, a condition that causes children (and adults) to be hypersensitive to various sen- sory experiences.

The Conejo Valley Mental Health Professionals Association, a multidisciplinary mental health group, presented a seminar Friday on sensory integration dysfunction.

Shiro Perera Torquato, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who said she's discovering through her Simi Valley practice that many children's disorders have been mis- diagnosed.

Members traveled from Ventura, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Moorpark and throughout the Conejo Valley to hear Torquato speak about the little-known disor- der.

"Most people haven't heard about it," Torquato said, including teachers and pediatricians, even though the disorder was first iden- tified many years ago.

Torquato identified several "red flags" for psychologists, parents and other professionals who work with children. Hypersensitivity to fluorescent lighting, noise, or even tags on clothes are signals that a child may be suffering from sensory overload rather than a mental dis- ability.

Oftentimes, Torquato said, chil- dren with a sensory dysfunction that goes untreated will develop other disorders, including anxiety and depression.

Torquato presented an example of a 15-year patient. The girl had displayed personality problems starting at age 2. The child would become suddenly enraged, and eventually had problems with her family and at school. After seeing dozens of doctors with no results, her parents brought her to Torquato's office, which is lit with fluorescent lighting to simulate a school setting. The girl was angry, defiant and

screaming about the lights, Torquato said. Torquato turned the fluorescent lights off. "All of a sud- den she totally relaxed, she was a different kid," Torquato said, not- ing that every class in every school uses fluorescent lights.

Torquato and others believe that even children who've been diag- nosed with Aspergers, a milder form of autism, may have sensory integration problems.

"Different scenarios keep crop- ping up," Torquato said.

The disorder can manifest in many different ways, including be- ing hypersensitive to sound, light, movement and touch. There are varying degrees to which the dis- order interrupts everyday life. Even muscle tone, balance and motor skills problems are related to the disorder.

Symptoms are sometimes evi- dent from birth. Babies may cry or scream at common loud noises, and many children with the disorder have a high tolerance for pain. As a result, these children may play more roughly and inadvertently hurt playmates.

Torquato said she knew of one child who cut his foot and didn't react at all. Some children bite because of the pressure on their mouths.

Hyperactivity occurring dur- ing noisy or busy situations is also a red flag, Torquato said.

Unpredictable meltdowns are common, as is clumsiness and poor motor coordination.

Some symptoms mimic au- tism, including the behavior of babies or toddlers who appear unaffectionate or prefer to be left alone.

Tactile problems often arise- -from refusing to wear socks and hating scratchy tags on clothes to avoiding water near the head or face.

Poor posture and slumping in chairs at school are often mis- understood by teachers as lazi- ness, Torquato said.

Another "classic" indication of the disorder is that normal pa- rental techniques don't work, she said. "The household is in chaos because of one kid."

Pediatric bipolar disorder is often diagnosed when children display frequent unpredictable meltdowns, Torquato said. "I've seen it enough times, the cumu- lative effect in terms of sensory overload."

Torquato can be reached at (805) 527-4146.

She listed Simi Valley Hos- pital as a resource as well as Honore Kyle, an occupational therapist who works at Los Rob- les Hospital and Medical Cen- ter in Thousand Oaks. She can be reached at (805) 370-4001.