children s health issues
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Symptoms of ADHD
ADHD is primarily a problem with sustained attention, concentration, and task persistence (ability to finish a task). Affected children may also be overactive and impulsive. Preschool children with ADHD may have problems with communication and appear to have social interaction problems. As children reach school age, they may seem inattentive. They may fidget and squirm. They may be impulsive and talk out of turn. During later childhood, such children may move their legs restlessly, move and fidget their hands, talk impulsively, and forget easily, and they may be disorganized. They are generally not aggressive. All signs do not have to be present for a diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, 6 or more signs of inattention or of hyperactivity and impulsivity must always be present for a diagnosis (or 6 fromeachgroup to diagnose the combined type of ADHD). Signs must be present in two or more situations (for example, at home and at school) and must interfere with social or academic functioning. Signs of inattention: Often fails to pay close attention to details Has difficulty sustaining attention in work and play Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly Often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish tasks Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort Often loses things Is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli Is often forgetful Signs of hyperactivity and impulsivity: Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms Often leaves seat in classroom and elsewhere Often runs about or climbs excessively Has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly Is often on the go or acts as if “driven by a motor” Often talks excessively Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed Often has difficulty waiting to take turns Often interrupts or intrudes on others About 20 to 60% of children with ADHD have Learning Disorders affecting reading, math, or written language, and most have academic problems such as poor grades due to disorganization or incomplete homework (executive skills). Work may be messy, with careless mistakes and an absence of considered thought. Affected children often behave as if their mind is elsewhere and they are not listening. They often do not follow through on requests or complete schoolwork, chores, or other duties. There may be frequent shifts from one incomplete task to another. Affected children may have issues with self-esteem, depression, anxiety, or opposition to authority by the time they reach adolescence. About 60% of young children have such problems as Temper Tantrums , and most older children have a low tolerance for frustration. 