Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
Common symptoms of ADHD include a short attention span or being easily distracted,
restlessness, constant fidgeting or overactivity and being impulsive. These are traits that most children display at some point or another. But to establish a diagnosis of ADHD, sometimes referred to as ADD, the symptoms should be inappropriate for the child's age and have a negative impact on the child's ability to function.


ADHD can occur in people of any intellectual ability, although it is more common in people with learning difficulties. People with ADHD may also have additional problems, such as sleep and anxiety disorders. Symptoms of ADHD tend to be first noticed at an early age, and may become more noticeable when a child's circumstances change, such as when they start school. Most cases are diagnosed in children between the ages of 6 and 12. The symptoms of ADHD usually improve with age, but many adults who are diagnosed with the condition at a young age will continue to experience problems.

Adults also can have ADHD; in fact, up to 2 out of every 3 kids with ADHD continue to have symptoms as adults. When ADHD persists into adulthood, symptoms may vary. For instance, an adult may experience restlessness instead of hyperactivity. In addition, adults with ADHD often have problems with interpersonal relationships and employment.

Types of ADHD
There are three different subtypes of ADHD:

• Combined ADHD (the most common subtype), which involves symptoms of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity.
• Inattentive ADHD (previously known as ADD), which is marked by impaired attention and concentration.
• Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, which is marked by hyperactivity without inattentiveness.

For a diagnosis of ADHD, some symptoms that cause impairment must be present before age twelve. Also, some impairment from the symptoms must be present in more than one setting. For instance, the person may be impaired at home and school or home and work. Also, there must be clear evidence the symptoms interfere with the person's ability to function at home, in social environments, or at work.

Symptoms of ADHD
There are three different categories of ADHD symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity.

Inattention may not become apparent until a child enters the challenging environment of school. In adults, symptoms of inattention may manifest in work or in social situations.

A person with ADHD may have some or all of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty paying attention to details and tendency to make careless mistakes in school or other activities; producing work that is often messy and careless.
• Easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli and frequently interrupting ongoing tasks to attend to trivial noises or events that are usually ignored by others.
• Inability to sustain attention on tasks or activities.
• Difficulty finishing schoolwork or paperwork or performing tasks that require concentration.
• Frequent shifts from one uncompleted activity to another.
• Procrastination.
• Disorganized work habits.
• Forgetfulness in daily activities (for example, missing appointments, forgetting to bring lunch).
• Failure to complete tasks such as homework or chores.
• Frequent shifts in conversation, not listening to others, not keeping one's mind on conversations, and not following details or rules of activities in social situations.

Hyperactivity symptoms may be apparent in very young preschoolers and are nearly always present before middle school. Symptoms include:

• Fidgeting, squirming when seated.
• Getting up frequently to walk or run around.
• Running or climbing excessively when it's inappropriate (in teens this may appear as restlessness).
• Having difficulty playing quietly or engaging in quiet leisure activities.
• Always being 'on the go'.
• Often talking excessively.

Hyperactivity may vary with age and developmental stage.Toddlers and preschoolers with ADHD tend to be constantly in motion, jumping on furniture, and having difficulty participating in sedentary group activities. For instance, they may have trouble listening to a story.

School-age children display similar behavior but with less frequency. They are unable to remain seated, squirm a lot, fidget, or talk excessively.

In adolescents and adults, hyperactivity may manifest itself as feelings of restlessness and difficulty engaging in quiet sedentary activities.

Impulsivity symptoms include:

• Impatience.
• Difficulty delaying responses.
• Blurting out answers before questions have been completed.
• Difficulty awaiting one's turn.
• Frequently interrupting or intruding on others to the point of causing problems in social or work settings.
• Initiating conversations at inappropriate times.
• Impulsivity may lead to accidents such as knocking over objects or banging into people. Children with ADHD may also engage in potentially dangerous activities without considering the consequences. For instance, they may climb to precarious positions.

Many of these symptoms occur from time to time in normal youngsters. However, in children with ADHD they occur frequently - at home and at school or when visiting with friends. They also interfere with the child's ability to function as other children of the same age or developmental level.

ADHD is diagnosed only when children consistently display some or all of the above behaviors in at least two settings, such as at home and in school, for at least six months.

Long-Term Prognosis With ADHD
Some children with ADHD - approximately 20% to 30% - have learning problems that may not improve with ADHD treatment. Hyperactive behavior may be associated with the development of other disruptive disorders, particularly conduct and oppositional-defiant disorder. Why this association exists is not known.

A great many children with ADHD ultimately adjust. Some, though, especially those with an associated conduct or oppositional-defiant disorder, are more likely to drop out of school. These individuals fare more poorly in their later careers. Inattention tends to persist through childhood and adolescence and on into adulthood, while hyperactivity tends to diminish with age. As they grow older, some teens that have had ADHD since childhood may experience periods of anxiety or depression.

Several of the symptoms of ADHD may get worse as the demands at school or home increase. They include:

• Difficulty following instructions.
• Being unable to get organized, either at home or at school.
• Fidgeting, especially with the hands and feet.
• Talking too much.
• Failing to finish projects, including chores and homework.
• Not paying attention to and responding to details.
• Getting poor grades in school.
• Being isolated from peers due to poor grades and secondary depression.

Culled and edited. Credits: WebMD, Wikipedia, Google images