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Useful ADHD Facts for Parents
By Mary Asomah...
Why You Need to Know the ADHD Facts
Knowing the ADHD facts will allow you to make the best decisions regarding your child's treatment.
Understanding facts regarding ADHD behaviour can give parents a clear direction in the best ways to parent their
child, and ADHD facts regarding treatment can allow parents to consider all of the options available today.
What is ADHD?
ADHD facts regarding a straightforward definition can be confusing. Some people describe this condition as ADD,
or ADHD, 'being hyperactive' or 'attention deficit'.
Children with ADHD... Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder... have difficulty paying attention, staying focused and
concentrating, to the point where it has a negative affect on their life.
They have a difficult time following directions, waiting their turn and sharing and they are also often impulsive
and constantly on the move.
ADHD is broken into three sub-types. After extensive testing a child's specific diagnosis for ADHD is typically
one of these three...
ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type
ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
ADHD Predominantly Combined Type
ADHD Facts Regarding Symptoms
The three major symptoms of ADHD are...
Hyperactivity:
The child has difficulty staying still, staying seated and playing quietly. They are constantly moving, and are often
running and jumping off objects inappropriately.
Inattention: The child is easily distracted and therefore makes careless mistakes and often doesn't
finish tasks. The child often appears not to listen when being spoken to. They have trouble organizing their things,
often lose things and appear to be day dreaming often.
Impulsiveness: The child acts without thinking, has difficulty waiting for their turn and interrupts
conversations inappropriately. The child may engage in reckless behaviour without thinking of the consequences, such
as running into traffic or jumping off a high incline.
ADHD Facts Regarding Additional Challenges
Children with ADHD have a slower rate of emotional development... 30% slower... than non-ADHD children, which is why
many ADHD children appear immature for their age.
ADHD children can also be prone to temper tantrums, defiance and hostility.
ADHD children also are more likely to have sleep problems and have problems with expressive language compared to
non-ADHD children.
ADHD Facts Regarding Treatment
ADHD is a medical condition linked to a chemical imbalance in a child's brain.
Medication is sometimes prescribed for a child in order to provide a stimulant for the child, which effectively
controls hyperactivity and impulse control and also increases a child's attention span.
Some common medical treatments include Ritalin, Methylin, Dexedrine, Focalin and Metadate.
Psychosocial therapy is also used to treat ADHD. Common psychosocial therapies used to treat ADHD include special
education, social skills training, behaviour modification and psychotherapy.
