ADHD

Definition: People with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behaviors (may act without thinking about what the result will be), or be overly active. Although ADHD can't be cured, it can be successfully managed and some symptoms may improve as the child ages.

Signs and symptoms:

Inattention

• Has difficulty concentrating
• Has unrelated thoughts
• Has problems focusing and sustaining attention
• Appears to not be listening
• Performance depends on task
• May have better attention to enjoyed activities
• Has difficulty planning, organizing, and completing tasks on time
• Has problems learning new things
• Demonstrates poor self-regulation of behavior, that is, he or she has difficulty monitoring and modifying behavior to fit different situations and settings

Hyperactivity

• Seems unable to sit still (e.g., squirming in his/her seat, roaming around the room, tapping pencil, wiggling feet, and touching everything)
• Appears restless and fidgety
• May bounce from one activity to the next
• Often tries to do more than one thing at once

Impulsivity

• Difficulty thinking before acting (e.g., hitting a classmate when he/she is upset or frustrated)
• Problems waiting his/her turn, such as when playing a game

Treatment: In most cases, ADHD is best treated with a combination of behavior therapy and medication. For preschool-aged children (4-5 years of age) with ADHD, behavior therapy is recommended as the first line of treatment. No single treatment is the answer for every child and good treatment plans will include close monitoring, follow-ups and any changes needed along the way.

Pronunciation: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/content_link/5jXdHriDNLGXAf99qcjNwow9y7Ygl3cUaICKhxW2puT2Tg22nFfWpqP3uIMZwK0C/file

CITE APA FORMAT:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). Facts about ADHD. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html

ADHD. Retrieved from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/pronunciation/english/adhd