| p>People often use the term ADD and ADHD | | | | their teens or twenties and start exhibiting emotional |
| interchangeably and for those who are not very | | | | problems like depression and anxiety. |
| familiar with the disorder, the two terms can cause a | | | | The second type is called ADHD |
| lot of confusion. But all you need to know is that there | | | | Hyperactive-Impulsive Type. This type of ADHD is |
| is hardly any difference between ADD and ADHD. In | | | | often diagnosed in very young children because the |
| fact, both names refer to the exact same disorder! | | | | symptoms are more obvious. Hyperactive-impulsive |
| To understand how this came about, we need a brief | | | | types are children who are very fidgety when made |
| lesson on the history of ADHD, or attention deficit | | | | to sit still, and are always running around as though |
| hyperactive disorder. In the early 1980's, the American | | | | driven by a motor. They also seem to have a problem |
| Psychiatric Association came up with the term ADD - | | | | waiting their turn and constantly interrupt people who |
| attention deficit disorder - to describe symptoms of | | | | talk or intrude in games. Studies reveal that boys are |
| inattention, spaciness, and lack of focus that affect | | | | more susceptible to ADHD Hyperactive-Impulsive type |
| some children. The term ADD was put on the | | | | than girls. |
| Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders | | | | The third type of ADHD is the Combined Type and |
| version 3, which is the diagnostic manual for mental | | | | the most complicated type of the three. An individual |
| diseases. However, when this edition was revised in | | | | suffering from the Combined Type experiences a |
| 1987, ADD became ADHD or attention deficit | | | | cocktail of all three core symptoms, as well as other |
| hyperactive disorder. | | | | complications like poor social skills and learning |
| When ADD became ADHD, the disorder was broken | | | | problems in school. |
| down into three subtypes. | | | | The different types of ADHD have two very |
| The first type is called ADHD Inattentive Type without | | | | interesting implications. First, the differences show that |
| Hyperactivity, which is what the term ADD used to | | | | ADHD is caused by a complex interaction of biological |
| refer to. Children and adults diagnosed with ADHD | | | | factors and environmental factors; it is not a simple |
| inattentive type often exhibit symptoms that indicate | | | | matter of chemical imbalance as western medicine |
| an inability to sustain their attention and do tasks that | | | | would lead you to believe. Secondly, ADHD cannot be |
| require a certain amount of concentration and focus. | | | | simply treated with medication. ADHD medications only |
| As a result, they may get very poor grades in school. | | | | suppress the symptoms; they never treat the |
| They also seem to spend a lot of time daydreaming | | | | underlying cause. It doesn't really matter if your son or |
| and it takes a while before anyone can bring them | | | | daughter has the Inattentive Type, the |
| back down to earth. It is more difficult to spot children | | | | Hyperactive-Impulsive Type, or the Combined Type. |
| with ADHD Inattentive Type as their behavior can be | | | | What your child needs is a holistic, natural treatment |
| easily misdiagnosed as learning disabilities or as | | | | that will address his or her unique needs and help him |
| extreme shyness. Sometimes, those with ADHD | | | | or her overcome ADHD completely and without the |
| Inattentive Type remain undiagnosed until they reach | | | | nasty side-effects of medications. |