What is ADHD? – Symptoms in toddlers, children, teenagers and adults

Once a disputed diagnosis, the medical establishment has concluded that ADHD is a genuine disorder, and that extensive research has lead to a diagnosis with high reliability. It is estimated that almost five percent of the US population live with ADHD. Even though ADHD (or ADD, as it was called in the past) consists of symptoms usually noticed in most children during stages of their growth, there are ways to learn when a person suffers from a psychological disorder and is not just going through a rough period of their life. This site provides information on ADHD in children, teenagers and adults.

ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and is described as a set of behaviors which, when appearing together, causes problems not only for the affected individual, but also for the immediate family and friends.

These behavioral problems are generally grouped into three categories, which each cause different problems at home and in school. These categories are inattention, impulsivity (or impulsiveness) and hyperactivity. The characteristics of ADHD are no longer very disputed among doctors and psychologists, so it is fairly wise to call this a true disorder, and not a name branded on children with certain ways of behaving, as some have claimed in the past.

Inattention means having difficulty to focus on one task for a longer period of time. Inattentive people often get easily bored or distracted, which causes them to not finish many activities. Often, a parent discovers these problems in a child when the child fails to listen of follow simple instructions.

Impulsivity is one of the most easily recognizable symptoms for people not in the immediate family to recognize. Highly impulsive people have a tendency to interrupt others and have trouble waiting for their turn when interacting with a group. They often don’t listen to others during conversations, but instead focus on their own side of the communication. It is not uncommon for highly impulsive people to answer questions before they are fully asked, as if their answer was going to be judged by the speed in which they give it.

Hyperactivity is also easy to recognize. Most people who are hyperactive have trouble sitting still, and most of the time they fidget, wiggle their limbs, or simply run around in inappropriate situations. In a family setting, the dinner table is a place for a hyperactive person  to display signs of hyperactivity, as is classes in school where they are expected to stay seated and focused.

When trying to diagnose a child for ADHD, most professionals agree on a set of requirements for a diagnosis to be made. Simply being inattentive or hyperactive does not grant an ADHD diagnosis, which is important because of the treatment which is not suitable for people who does not have the disorder. Doctors try to find out if some or all of these symptoms have shown for more than six months and before 7 years of age. If these symptoms show up in adulthood or the teenage years, or only for a shorter period of time, the individual probably does not have ADHD.

Also, a child does not have to be hyperactive or impulsive to be diagnosed with ADHD. Many people only suffer from some of the symptoms, while others show all of the symptoms. Granted, these symptoms can also display differently for different people. This is why a diagnose for ADHD takes time, and should not be rushed.

Scientists have specified three major subtypes of ADHD:

• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive
• Predominantly inattentive
• Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive

Children with predominantly inattentive ADHD are often overlooked and not diagnosed with the disorder, because of the nature of their symptoms. Often times, these children will sit quietly and not bother anyone. However, many parents will see this as something positive, and may consider their child to be shy or more focused on their intellectual progress than their physical abilities.

Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, on the other hand is much easier to recognize, since most parents will have a hard time controlling their child. From 3 years of age and onwards, it is easy to detect if your child has a tendency to listen to you and acts accordingly, or if it is unusually active and impulsive, while not focusing its attention on anything for more than a minute or two.

The combined subtype is tricky, since symptoms often shift with the state of the child. In a safe and calm environment the child could act very inattentively, while a stressful environment could cause it to become hyperactive. Most of the time though, they will have trouble focusing and will not pay attention the way children without ADHD will do. Other factors such as hunger, fatigue and pain can also cause a shift in behavior.

It is not uncommon for parents to try diagnose their child by themselves before going through an evaluation together with doctors and psychologists. The reasons for this are many, but primarily a parent will not want to rush into a disorder evaluation before they feel there is a good reason for it. Often, parents feel a sense of failure when discovering that not everything is right with their child. However, finding information on ADHD on children is tricky, since a lot of the information available online and in magazines is not always scientifically proven.

Most people who suffer from ADHD encounter problems in their life because of their disorder. This does not mean, however, that there is nothing to be done. Treatments do exist, and lots of people with ADHD have been helped by medication although there are side effects. Every year there is continuous research being done to find out how to make people live with the disorder, and new theories get published all the time. Some experts also claim that one of the main reasons for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder becomes a problem with both children and adults is a dietary one. Several books have been written containing diets and nutrition advice which is said to lessen the symptoms of ADHD.