What is ADHD?

What is ADHD? This label gets thrown around quite often these days, but is a term that has come into being only in the last 25 years. ADHD is an acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Even though "attention deficit" would imply "lack of attention" the disorder in fact describes someone who has trouble with attention regulation. Sometimes they can't pay attention for a length of time, sometimes they can't divert their attention to another task in a timely manner.

Studies estimate that 3-10% of children struggle with attention issues. And studies have shown that the ADHD brain is different. Some children outgrow the diagnosis, but many carry the symptoms of ADHD into adulthood.

What is ADHD?

Symptoms of ADHD emerge when a child is young and are evident in several different situations over a long period of time. An ADHD child or adult might be described as: inattentive, easily distracted, disorganized, a procrastinator, forgetful, and/or a daydreamer.

There are 3 types of ADHD:

1. Inattentive

2. Hyperactive/Impulsive

3. Combined

The majority of children are diagnosed with the combined type of this disorder. Hyperactivity tends to mitigate as children grow into adulthood, but the impulsive dimension tends to remain.

What ADHD is not...

High energy

Laziness

Anxiety

Depression

Frustration from a learning disorder

Situational frustration

Although, "being ADHD" is fodder for many jokes and and easy excuse for forgetfulness and "scatterbrained-ness", it is not a laughing matter. Many ADHD individuals suffer from low self esteem and many families and marriages suffer from the strain of dealing with ADHD symptoms. Miscommunication, discipline problems, forgetfulness, and many other issues can stress even the most patient person. Being able to recognize the signs of ADHD, and using strategies to compensate is a major step forward in preventing unnecessary negative experiences for all involved.

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