Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the most common disorder of childhood. 6-8% of the population has it. It is more common in boys, and does tend to improve (about 50% outgrow the diagnosis) by adulthood.
One of the most common questions I get is, “Isn’t ADHD a construct of our society… it was never an issue when I was growing up or where I came from”. Studies have shown that ADHD is present with the same degree across all industrialized countries from Asia to Europe to North America. Thus, culture does not affect the percentage of children with it, although culture may affect the degree with which families are willing to seek help, given different degrees of stigma.
It is also true that ADHD may be more recognized now, leading to a greater number of children being recognized with the disorder, and treated. I suspect that in generations prior, it was not that ADHD did not exist, but that it was not understood and children were labeled as being a “problem or naughty” child.
There are three subcategories of ADHD: hyperactive/impulsive, inattention, or combined (a combination of hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention). Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is basically ADHD, but the inattention category only. Hence ADD, and ADHD are the same diagnosis.
Children with hyperactive/impulsive ADHD typically tend to have some of the following symptoms: trouble sitting still, inability to play quietly, are always “on the go”, fidgety, talkative, blurts out answers and may have trouble waiting in line.
Children with inattention symptoms are “daydreamers”: being forgetful, disorganized, making careless mistakes by rushing or misreading questions, losing things, trouble following multiple instructions, trouble paying attention and thus avoids those activities, and/or are easily distracted.
Of course, one can have a combination of the above symptoms.
It is important for any child suspected of ADHD to be assessed because treatment is available. Even if one does not want treatment for ADHD, it is important to make the diagnosis because half of children with ADHD have other disorders that may need to be addressed including oppositional behavior, mood/anxiety or even learning issues.
If a child is being accommodated for any reason by the teacher (being placed in certain seating arrangements, given fidget toys, given different work than is normal), than one should be assessed sooner rather than later as likely there is an issue underlying that has led to the necessity for these accommodations. Although these accommodations may be helpful, and would be considered “behavioral management”, one would still want an assessment to understand what the underlying diagnosis to ensure that nothing else is being missed.
Aug 3, 2017