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ADD ADHD Disorder
By Mary Asomah...
ADD ADHD disorder is a condition where children have difficulty concentrating and paying attention.
They have a hard time following directions and become easily frustrated with tasks. A child with an ADD/ADHD disorder
is constantly on the move and is very impulsive.
Although many children can be impulsive and active, incidences of these behaviours, with a child with an ADD/ADHD
disorder, are more severe, are not age appropriate, and interfere with a child's ability to function in school
and in social settings.
Symptoms of ADD ADHD Disorder
Symptoms of an ADD/ADHD disorder include; hyperactivity, inattention and impulsiveness.
Hyperactivity symptoms refer to a child:
Having difficulty staying seated, often squirming, fidgeting and bouncing
Talking excessively
Climbing on things and jumping off things in a reckless manner
Constantly moving
Having difficulty with quiet activities.
Inattention symptoms refer to a child:
Having difficulty following directions or finishing tasks
Being easily distracted
Not appearing to listen when being spoken to
Making careless mistakes
Often loses their things
Dislikes activities that involve sitting still
Has problems staying organized.
Impulsivity symptoms refer to a child:
Having difficulty waiting for turns
Blurting out answers inappropriately
Interrupting others often.
Interpreting Symptoms of ADD ADHD Disorder
When considering the symptoms of ADD/ADHD disorder, keep in mind that these
ADD ADHD characteristics
should be persistent in a child's behaviour for more than six months.
A child may just be going through a 'phase' and outgrow the behaviour within a month or so. It is also important to
look at the child's environment to ensure that the behaviour is not the result of a lifestyle change; such as a new
baby, a family move or a divorce, instead of an ADD/ADHD disorder.
A child who is showing symptoms of ADD/ADHD disorder should also have a complete physical check by their doctor,
including x-rays and blood work. Sometimes children exhibiting ADD/ADHD disorder symptoms are actually discovered
to be deficient of certain vitamins, or are having vision problems.
A child who has ADD/ADHD disorder also exhibits many of the ADD ADHD symptoms, and not just one or two.
They also act out these behaviours in an extreme manner that affects them in more than one setting...
such as at school and at home.
If behaviour is considered annoying and 'not ideal' but can be ignored, it would not be considered 'extreme'.
Treatment for ADD/ADHD Disorder
Treatment for ADD/ADHD disorder includes a combination of therapy… behavioural, social and psychological... and medication.
