Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

A.D.H.D., known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, and the behavioral traits associated with A.D.H.D. exemplify a more persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals with A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder). Symptoms of A.D.H.D. include inattention that can manifest in academic, occupational, or social situations.

People with A.D.H.D. often have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or playing activities and find it hard to perform the simplest forms of responsibility persistently to completion. Adults as well as adolescents with untreated A.D.H.D often appear as if their mind is elsewhere or as if they are not listening or did not hear what has just been said.

Individuals diagnosed with A.D.H.D may begin a task, move on to another, then, turn yet to something else, prior to completing any one task. Any task that requires sustained mental effort is experienced as unpleasant and markedly aversive. As a result, these individuals typically avoid or have a strong dislike for activities that demand self-application and the mental effort required to produce an organizational skill or close concentration.

Hyperactivity may vary with the individual’s age and developmental level, and the diagnosis should be made cautiously in young children. Toddlers and preschoolers with A.D.H.D differ from normally active young children by being constantly being on the go and into everything; they dart back and forth, jump or climb on furniture, run through the house, and have difficulty participating in sedentary group activities in preschool classes(e.g., listening to a story).

Grade school age children display similar behaviors but usually with less frequency or intensity than toddlers and preschoolers. They have difficulty remaining seated, get up frequently, and squirm in, or hang on to the edge of their seat. They fidget with objects, tap their hands, and shake their feet and legs excessively. They also make excessive noises during quiet activities. The prevalence of A.D.H.D is estimated at three to five percent in school age children.

In adolescents and adults, symptoms of A.D.H.D. take the form of restlessness and difficulty engaging in quiet sedentary activities. Hyperactivity can manifest into impulsivity which develops into impatience, difficulty in delaying responses, blurting out answers before questions have been completed, difficulty awaiting one’s turn, and frequently intruding on others to the point of causing difficulties in social, academic, or occupational settings.

Other traits that can be associated with A.D.H.D. in adults and adolescents are that they can easily be distracted by external stimuli that are usually ignored by others (e.g., background conversations, road noises, etc.). They are often forgetful in daily activities (e.g., missing appointments, forgetting lunch, etc.). In social situations, inattention may be expressed as frequent shifts in conversation, not listening to others, and not following details or rules of games and activities.

A.D.H.D can no longer be ignored or underestimated. In many instances A.D.H.D can be a forerunner for substance abuse and chemical dependency. There are many programs available that treat the symptoms of A.D.H.D. through group therapy and private one- on- one counseling to aid in recovery.



back