In beginning my research on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) there was many questions I had in my head because my nine year old son was diagnosed with ADHD late last year. Even then I didn’t get a real answer to what ADHD was, how long it has been around, what are the causes, the symptoms, how do they diagnose it, what are all the treatments, what are the side effects of the medications and last but not least what can I do to help my child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Since none of my questions were ever addressed fully I decided to do some research myself so I can better understand Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and how I can help my son. I will begin by answering all of the questions I have had since my son’s diagnosis. What exactly is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. he text book describes ADHD as: “ Disorder that involves symptoms of extreme inattentiveness, problems with impulse control, and high levels of activity; although some children present only symptoms of attention deficit and others experience only hyperactivity, usually both are evidence.” ( Dunn, 2013, pg. 244) ADHD is broken down into three types of Characteristics: Inattention, Hyperactivity, and Impulsivity.(Dunn, 2013, pg. 245) I wanted to know when ADHD was first discovered and all of the articles I read except for Psych Central didn’t give a definite answer. According to a Psychcentral.com article by John M. Grohol on ADHD: It states that
First step to understanding this disorder is to understand how it is diagnosed and what criteria is required. There are 18 possible symptoms for ADHD that are divided into two categories, inattentive and hyperactivity/impulsive (Barkley 1997). In order to be diagnosed with ADHD an individual must show at least 6 symptoms in one category for 6 months (Barkley 1997). Depending on what category the symptoms were in the child would also be assigned to a subtype, either: predominantly inattentive or predominantly hyperactive/impulsive; but if the individual met criteria for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive then the child would be diagnoses with ADHD combined (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 2013). Some of the symptoms that fall under the inattentive subtype are inability to stay focused on tasks (i.e. during lectures, conversations,
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that causes difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity. ADHD has three main subtypes. The first subtype is predominantly hyperactive-impulsive which means the child must fidget or squirm have trouble being quite, always moving and cannot sit still. The second subtype is predominantly inattentive, children who have this subtype have a small probability of acting out. They may sit quietly but are not paying attention. The last subtype is combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive. Attention deficit hyperactivity is one of the most common childhood disorders that can continue into adulthood. Each subtype has 9 symptoms
ADHD Research Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disability in which children consistently show one or more of the following characteristics over a period of time. (1) Inattention, (2) hyperactivity, and (3) impulsivity (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow 2004). Children who are inattentive have difficulty focusing on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. Children who are hyperactive show high levels of physical activity, almost always seeming to be in motion. Children who are impulsive have difficulty curbing their reactions and don’t do a good job of thinking before they act.
By that, ADHD is not a modern disorder and our knowledge has only expanded. Although this may be true, there are still numerous myths about it.
In addition to symptoms of ADHD being present by the age of seven the symptoms must affect the person’s life in a number of settings. In addition the symptoms have to not be explained by another mental disorder. If it only occurs alongside a psychotic mood disorder it is not considered ADHD. Inattention in ADHD is classified as making easily avoidable mistakes and ignoring details, usually do to not paying attention. It can happen in any number of settings( Surman, 2013). For example an accountant suffering from some of the innatention aspects of ADHD may not notice they forget to put a decimal point in a number resulting in a much higher number then shoud have been expected. The average adult may catch the mistake but someone someone with at least part of the innatetion aspect will likely move on without a thought in the world. Hyperactivity is demonstrated by inabiltiy to sit still and the need to get up from one's seat to move around. Impulsivity shows itself in a person's inabilty to resist acting on their urges. Usually the person will jump in front of others in a conversation. the person may at random pick up things and start messing with them. For a person to be diagnosised with ADHD a number of the DSM-IV-TR's critera must be met.
According to the research conducted by Dr. Laura A. King, the Frederick A. Middlebush Professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia, “ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorders of childhood, in which individuals show at least one of the following: impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention.”
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a syndrome that is comprised of a variety of behaviors that often arises in early childhood and is characterized by extremely high levels of motor activity, difficulties with attention span and concentrating, and/or impulsive behaviors (Cook & Cash, 2011). It has been estimated in the United States that approximately 20% of children and adolescents display signs of a psychological or behavioral disorder according to Luthy, David, Macintosh, Eden, and Beckstrand (2015). ADHD is considered one of the more prevalent psychological disorders in children, with approximately 3-7% of school-age children with an ADHD diagnosis as mentioned by Luthy et al. (2015).
According to the National Institute of Mental Health as known as NIMH, ADHD has three subtypes. First on is pre-dominantly hyperactive-impulsive, which at least six or more of its symptoms are in hyperactivity-impulsive category, and inattention might be
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD which is often referred to as childhood hyperactivity, it 's a severe and chronic disorder for children. It is one of the most prevalent childhood disorders, and affects 3% to 5% of the school-age population. Boys outnumber girls three or more to one. Children with ADHD can experience many behavioral difficulties that often manifest in the form of inattention, being easily distracted, being impulsive, and hyperactivity. As a result, children with ADHD may develop emotional, social, developmental, academic, and family problems because of the frustrations and problems they are constantly experiencing. (Shea)
and conduct and learning disorders” (Jackson 2725). Testing for ADHD for a child is a long, difficult, and frustrating process. The caregivers go through a battery of questionnaires, insurance hurdles, and serious behavior battles. ADHD is becoming more recognized as a legitimate issue and testing of treatments have gone underway, but do vary from physician to physician. Research shows that “ There is a growing professional acknowledgment that ADHD is a neurophysiologically based self-control disorder, However, the diagnostic and treatment approaches are controversial and vary considerably across professionals” (Magyary 554). There is a plethora of information about ADHD, and the treatments available. Studies agree that it is a fast growing epidemic, that has received the most funding for research for psychiatric
There are many negatives involved in ADHD, but what’s often overlooked, are the positives. One of these positives is the fact that this disorder is very manageable and treatable. We have an extended amount of knowledge from numerous studies that have been done since the disorder was discovered. From these studies we now know that this disorder can affect people in many ways and be a burden on someone if not treated properly.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects school aged children with a high degree of inattention, excessive hyperactivity, impulsivity or a combination of any of these. In order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD, there must be two different environments in which the child has displayed his or her symptoms and it must occur before the child is twelve years of age (Halter, 2014). Children have a high comorbidity level with developmental, learning and psychiatric problems. There are three types of ADHD; inattentive type, hyperactive-impulsive type and combination type. With inattentive type the child displays disorganization, is unable to complete tasks, becomes easily bored, and
According to Foley (2010), children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were categorized into two groups with nine behaviors associated with each category of ADHD. Behaviors with the inattentive category include failing to pay attention, and making careless mistakes, difficulty keeping that attention, not following through or listening, difficulty organizing, low task persistence, easily distracted, forgetful and losing things. Behaviors associated with the category of hyperactivity include a child being out of their seat and fidgeting, running and climbing excessively,
Psychologists and Psychiatrists have recognized several different types of ADHD. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a tool commonly used by professionals to diagnose mental disorders, illustrates three patterns of behavior to note when
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a common mental disorder whose definition continues to change. Most clinicians make a diagnosis off of a list of symptoms in three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There are three different subtypes of ADHD: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type if both the inattentive criteria and the hyperactive/impulsive criteria have been present for the past six months; Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type if the inattention criteria are met but the hyperactive/impulsive criteria has not been present for the past six months; and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive