Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects a child’s behaviour. Children with ADHD may seem restless, have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse. The precise cause of ADHD is not known, but the condition is known to run in families. ADHD can occur in children of any intellectual ability; however, it is more common in those with learning difficulties.
Signs of ADHD are often detected at an early age and most cases are diagnosed when children are between 6 and 12 years old. Symptoms of ADHD can be characterised by two types of behavioural problems:
- Inattentiveness
- Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
Some of the signs of inattentiveness are:
- Appearing unable to listen to or complete task instructions
- Having difficulty organising work
- Being easily distracted and having a short span of attention
- Inability to remain on tasks that are tedious or take a long time
- Constantly changing between different activities or tasks
- Making careless mistakes with their work
- Seeming forgetful
- Losing items and belongings
Some of the main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness include:
- Inability to sit still, even in otherwise calm or quiet surroundings
- Persistent fidgeting
- Excessive movement
- Excessive talking
- Inability to wait their turn, including interrupting conversations
- Acting without thinking
- Very little or no sense of danger
Most – but not all – children with ADHD have difficulties that fall into both these areas. Some children may have problems with inattentiveness, but not with hyperactivity or impulsiveness. This is known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD can go undetected because the symptoms may appear less obvious.