Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also called Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), is a hot topic when it comes to kids' health these days. Because ADD symptoms in children can appear to just be normal "kidlike" behavior and because they differ from one child to the next, the disorder is sometimes hard to pin down. ADD is usually diagnosed in early childhood, before seven years of age, and is seen in children of six to eleven years old.
The three major symptoms which could trigger you to have your child checked out for ADD are inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity. These symptoms are then divided into two categories of behavior: inattentive behavior and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Children can show symptoms from just one category or from both. Kids with ADD take up a lot of physical activity.
Examples of symptoms used to define ADD in children who fall unter the "inattentive behavior" category:
1. They have a hard time paying attention to detail
2. Maintaining attention in studies and activities is difficult or impossible
3. They rarely follow instructions given by parents and children.
4. They make careless mistakes in homework or often avoid schoolwork altogether.
5. They tend to forget daily activities
6. They tend to forget/lose things like books, pencils, etc.
7. They find it difficult to organize daily tasks and activities.
8. They are easily distracted by irrelevant sounds and sights.
9. They repeatedly bounce from one activity to the next, forgetting the previous one altogether in the process. This obviously creates problems for teachers and parents.
10. However, they are able to give undivided attention to the activities of their choice so there is a degree of choice in their behavior.
Following are the ADD symptoms which fall under the hyperactive/impulsive category:
1) They are often restless and fidget a lot. They are constantly in motion, even when sitting down.
2) They talk excessively and, when asked a question, blurt out the answer before the question has been asked.
3)They often intrude in other people's activities.
ADD symptoms not only differ from child to child but also (sometimes greatly) from girls to boys. Boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADD, though it's not yet understood why and there is a bit of controversy surrounding this difference. While girls often daydream and generally just find it difficult to pay attention in classroom, boys suffering from ADD are more likely to be on the hyperactive side.
Boys are less likely to listen to teachers and elders. It's important to note that not all the children who are hyperactive and inattentive in school or at home suffer from ADD. If the above-mentioned symptoms of ADD are pretty constant for more than six months, it's probably a good idea to let your doctor know. ADD symptoms in children are constantly being researched and studied in order to develop suitable therapy and treatments.
