We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday. Today's topic is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Definition
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) makes it difficult for children to control their behavior and stay focused. ADHD is usually diagnosed when children first go to school, a time when they must sit for longer periods and pay attention in class. Parents are often aware years earlier that their child has a problem. Having ADHD doesn't mean your child has a problem with intelligence or ability to reason. Children with ADHD usually have normal or above-normal intelligence, and many are gifted.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) used to be called Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), but that term isn't really used any more. Today the term ADHD is used with an add-on comment of "with the hyperactivity" or "without hyperactivity." The differences are related to the fidgety behavior or ”hyperactivity“ some children have. Hyperactivity is more than just being "active." It is activity much greater than children typically have. Below are the types of ADHD.
- Inattentive type: Many children with ADHD have problems paying attention. Children with the inattentive type of ADHD often:
- Don't pay close attention to details and make careless mistakes.
- Cannot focus on the same task for long.
- Don't follow through on instructions or finish schoolwork or chores.
- Cannot organize tasks and activities well.
- Get distracted easily.
- Often lose things such as toys, school work and books.
- Hyperactive-impulsive type: Being more active than other children is probably the most visible sign of ADHD. The hyperactive child is "always on the go." As he or she gets older, the activity level may go down. These children are also impulsive, meaning they often act before thinking, like running across the street without looking. Hyperactivity and impulsivity tend to go together. Children with the hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD often may:
- Fidget and squirm more than other children.
- Have a hard time staying in their seats.
- Run around or climb constantly or when they are told not to.
- Have trouble playing quietly.
- Talk too much.
- Blurt out answers before questions have been completed.
- Have trouble waiting their turn.
- Interrupt others when they're talking.
- Butt in on the games others are playing.
- Combined type: Children with the combined type of ADHD have symptoms of both these types described above. They have problems with paying attention, with hyperactivity and with controlling their impulses. Of course, from time to time, all children are inattentive, impulsive and too active. With children who have ADHD though, these behaviors are the rule, not the exception.
This includes children who have trouble keeping their minds on what they are doing and often skip from one activity to the next without completing anything. They don't pay attention to details and often make mistakes. They have problems organizing and planning and often lose or misplace their schoolwork, pens, toys or other things. Hyperactive children always seem to be in motion. Sitting still seems nearly impossible. They may dash around, wriggle in their seats, roam around the room or talk without stopping. They wiggle their feet or tap their pencils. They are often restless, bouncing around from one activity to the next or trying to do several things at once. These children often blurt out answers before questions have been completed. They have difficulty waiting for their turn. They often butt into conversations or games. They get into fights for little or no reason. |
More Information
To get more information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), click here.
*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.
