attention deficit disorder/hyperactivity (ADHD)

What is Attention Deficit Disorder?                                                  

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a neurobiological disability that interferes with a person's ability to attend or focus to tasks. A child with ADD may also have difficulty refraining from being impulsive or control motor activity.

Cause of Attention Deficit Disorder

The cause of ADD can be biologically based in the brain. Contrary to popular belief, the hyperactivity associated with ADD is not from the child being too stimulated, but from the child's brain being understimulated. The constant movement or talking a child with ADD does is in an effort to stimulate the brain.

ADD symptoms can also be seen in children with issues, such as abuse, neglect, chaos in the home, etc. This is not true ADD, however.

FACTS about ADD

• Occurs in approximately 5% of school-age children
• Is more prevalent in boys than girls with a 5:1 ratio
• Tends to run in families
• About 20% of foster children are identified with ADD
• About 80% of those diagnosed with ADD will continue
  to experience problems into adulthood
• Hits all socioeconomic classes
• Is seen in all levels of intelligence
• More common in families where alcoholism and/or depression are present
• More common in the USA than in Europe
• Children with ADD often have keen artistic talent but have a difficult time expressing that talent on paper

Symptoms may include:

• short attention span
• difficulty listening to others
• difficulty attending to details
• distractibility
• forgetfulness
• poor organizational skills
• poor study skills
• often interrupts others                               
• difficulty waiting for turn
• blurting out answers
• hyperactivity
• constantly in motion
• difficulty remaining seated
• fidgety and squirmy
• excessive talking                                      
• difficulty engaging in quiet activities
• losing things
• inability to stay on task

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