Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD for short is a developmental disorder that typically occurs in children but also occurs in some adults. It is characterized by co-existing problems involving the ability to pay attention and hyperactivity. In most cases, the symptoms of the disorder become evident by the time they reach seven years of age. In 30% to 50% of the cases involving ADHD, the disorder carries over in the person's adult years.
Not only are there problems with attentiveness and hyperactivity at home and in school, the afflicted child usually has difficulty doing their homework quietly without disturbing their fellow classmates. In order to compensate for their impairments, adults and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder tend to develop certain coping mechanisms. In other words, they will alter certain behavioral and cognitive efforts in order to manage certain taxing external and internal demands.
The symptoms of ADHD and the different types of the disorder
The primary symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention which is inappropriate in any age group. However, since this is a co-morbid disorder, the symptoms are broken down into three groups for description purposes - hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention.
Hyperactivity symptoms include:
The disorder usually becomes apparent in preschool years and are usually always present by the time the child has reached seven years of age. However, it may vary based on the child's age and stage of development that they are in. The most common symptoms are:
o always being on the go
o climbing or running excessively especially when this is inappropriate (in teenagers, this may seem like it is just restlessness)
o difficulty engaging in leisure activities or playing quietly
o fidgeting or squirming whenever seated
o having to frequently get up and run or walk around
o talking excessively
Hyperactivity in adolescents and adults oftentimes manifest themselves as difficulty engaging in quiet and more sedentary activities or being restless.
Impulsivity symptoms include:
o blurting out answers to questions before they have not been completed
o clowning around
o difficulty awaiting their turn
o difficulty delaying their responses
o frequently interrupting or intruding to the point of creating problems for others in social or work settings
o impatience
o initiating conversations when it isn't appropriate
Inattention symptoms include:
Difficulty finishing schoolwork or performing tasks requiring concentration or paying attention to details. The child will be prone to making careless mistakes with their homework or other tasks. The work, once completed, the person's work is typically careless, disorganized, and messy.
They are easily distracted from what they are doing and cannot pay attention to events that are occurring at the same time. As a result, they shift from one unfinished activity to the next which indicates that their work habits are disorganized. They also fail to complete certain household chores and schoolwork, oftentimes forgetting them altogether. For example, they may forget to take their lunch to school or miss important appointments.
Irrelevant stimuli around them distract them easily and they will oftentimes interrupt whatever they are doing to investigate trivial events or sounds that most individuals would normally ignore.
For the latest videos and training information on child development as well as books and curricula on ADHD children please visit childdevelopmentmedia.com.
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