ADD

Attention Deficit Disorder (also known as ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are terms used to describe patterns of behaviour that appear most often in school-aged children. Children with these disorders are inattentive, overly impulsive and, in the case of ADHD, hyperactive. They have difficulty sitting still, attending to one thing for a long period of time, and may seem overactive.

What are ADD and ADHD?

Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are disorders that interfere with the learning process because they reduce the child's ability to pay attention. It is important to understand that ADD and ADHD are not disabilities in the learning process, although they may be present in addition to a learning disability. A learning disability is a neurological condition that affects the child's ability to learn.

Some of the emotional responses are:

aggressive or violent behaviour - Feelings of failure can result in aggressive or violent behaviour at home or outside it
withdrawal, anxiety and depression - Your child may turn inward and try to isolate him/herself from the rest of the work, or he/she may become anxious and depressed.
low self-esteem - If your child has been unable to have positive experiences because of ADD or ADHD, he/she will likely have trouble developing a healthy self-esteem.
physical symptoms - Possibly, your child will bury his/her feelings so deeply that they will come out in the form of headaches, stomach or back aches, or pains in the hands or legs.

subtypes.

♥AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] Predominantly Combined Type,
♥AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] Predominantly Inattentive Type, and
♥AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type.



These subtypes take into account that some children with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] have little or no trouble sitting still or inhibiting behavior, but may be predominantly inattentive and, as a result, have great difficulty getting or staying focused on a task or activity. Others  may be able to pay attention to a task but lose focus because they may be predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and, thus, have trouble controlling impulse and activity. The most prevalent subtype is the Combined Type. These children will have significant symptoms of all three characteristics.

What Causes AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]?

AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is a neurobiologically-based developmental disability estimated to affect between 3-5% of the school age population (Professional Group for Attention and Related Disorders,1991). No one knows exactly what causes AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]. Scientific evidence suggests that the disorder is genetically transmitted in many cases and results from a chemical imbalance or deficiency in certain neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that help the brain regulate behavior.
Even though the exact cause of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] remains unknown, we do know that AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is a neurologically-based medical problem. Parents and teachers do not cause  A.D.D. OR ADHD ]. Still, there are many things that both can do to help a child manage his or her AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]-related difficulties.

What Are the Signs of AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ]?


As can be seen, the primary features associated with the disability are inattention,hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

Inattention

 A child with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] is usually described as having a short attention span and as being distractible. In actuality, distractibility and inattentiveness are not synonymous. Distractibility refers to the short attention span and the ease with which some children can be pulled off-task. Attention, on the other hand, is a process that has different parts.
When we refer to someone as distractible, we are saying that a part of that person's attention process is disrupted. Children with AD/HD [ A.D.D. OR ADHD ] can have difficulty with one or all parts of the attention process. Some children may have difficulty concentrating on tasks (particularly on tasks that are routine or boring). Others may have trouble knowing where to start a task. Still others may get lost in the directions along the way. A careful observer can watch and see where the attention process breaks down for a particular child.

Symptoms

☺ often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities;
☺ often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities;
☺ often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly;
☺ often does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions);
☺ often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities;
☺ often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework);
☺ often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g., toys, school assignments,pencils, books, or tools);
☺ is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli;
☺ is often forgetful in daily activities.