| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | | | | |
| (ADHD) is a condition that becomes apparent | | | | Homework is particularly hard for these |
| in some children in the preschool and early | | | | children. They will forget to write down an |
| school years. It is hard for these children | | | | assignment, or leave it at school. They will |
| to control their behavior and/or pay | | | | forget to bring a book home, or bring the |
| attention. It is estimated that between 3 and | | | | wrong one. The homework, if finally finished, |
| 5 percent of children have ADHD, or | | | | is full of errors and erasures. Homework is |
| approximately 2 million children in the | | | | often accompanied by frustration for both |
| United States. This means that in a classroom | | | | parent and child. |
| of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at | | | | |
| least one will have ADHD. | | | | The DSM-IV-TR gives these signs of |
| | | | inattention: |
| ADHD was first described by Dr. Heinrich | | | | |
| Hoffman in 1845. A physician who wrote books | | | | Often becoming easily distracted by |
| on medicine and psychiatry, Dr. Hoffman was | | | | irrelevant sights and sounds |
| also a poet who became interested in writing | | | | |
| for children when he couldn't find suitable | | | | Often failing to pay attention to details and |
| materials to read to his 3-year-old son. The | | | | making careless mistakes |
| result was a book of poems, complete with | | | | |
| illustrations, about children and their | | | | Rarely following instructions carefully and |
| characteristics. "The Story of Fidgety | | | | completely losing or forgetting things like |
| Philip" was an accurate description of a | | | | toys, or pencils, books, and tools needed for |
| little boy who had attention deficit | | | | a task |
| hyperactivity disorder. | | | | |
| | | | Often skipping from one uncompleted activity |
| Yet it was not until 1902 that Sir George F. | | | | to another. |
| Still published a series of lectures to the | | | | |
| Royal College of Physicians in England in | | | | Children diagnosed with the Predominantly |
| which he described a group of impulsive | | | | Inattentive Type of ADHD are seldom impulsive |
| children with significant behavioral | | | | or hyperactive, yet they have significant |
| problems, caused by a genetic dysfunction and | | | | problems paying attention. They appear to be |
| not by poor child rearing-children who today | | | | daydreaming, "spacey," easily confused, slow |
| would be easily recognized as having ADHD.1 | | | | moving, and lethargic. |
| Since then, several thousand scientific | | | | |
| papers on the disorder have been published, | | | | They may have difficulty processing |
| providing information on its nature, course, | | | | information as quickly and accurately as |
| causes, impairments, and treatments. | | | | other children. When the teacher gives oral |
| | | | or even written instructions, this child has |
| A child with ADHD faces a difficult but not | | | | a hard time understanding what he or she is |
| insurmountable task ahead. In order to | | | | supposed to do and makes frequent mistakes. |
| achieve his or her full potential, he or she | | | | Yet the child may sit quietly, unobtrusively, |
| should receive help, guidance, and | | | | and even appear to be working but not fully |
| understanding from parents, guidance | | | | attending to or understanding the task and |
| counselors, and the public education system. | | | | the instructions. |
| This document offers information on ADHD and | | | | |
| its management, including research on | | | | These children don't show significant |
| medications and behavioral interventions, as | | | | problems with impulsivity and overactivity in |
| well as helpful resources on educational | | | | the classroom, on the school ground, or at |
| options. | | | | home. They may get along better with other |
| | | | children than the more impulsive and |
| Because ADHD often continues into adulthood, | | | | hyperactive types of ADHD, and they may not |
| this document contains a section on the | | | | have the same sorts of social problems so |
| diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults. | | | | common with the combined type of ADHD. So |
| | | | often their problems with inattention are |
| Symptoms | | | | overlooked. But they need help just as much |
| | | | as children with other types of ADHD, who |
| The principal characteristics of ADHD are | | | | cause more obvious problems in the classroom. |
| inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. | | | | |
| These symptoms appear early in a child's | | | | Is It Really ADHD? |
| life. Because many normal children may have | | | | |
| these symptoms, but at a low level, or the | | | | Not everyone who is overly hyperactive, |
| symptoms may be caused by another disorder, | | | | inattentive, or impulsive has ADHD. Since |
| it is important that the child receive a | | | | most people sometimes blurt out things they |
| thorough examination and appropriate | | | | didn't mean to say, or jump from one task to |
| diagnosis by a well-qualified professional. | | | | another, or become disorganized and |
| | | | forgetful, how can specialists tell if the |
| Symptoms of ADHD will appear over the course | | | | problem is ADHD? |
| of many months, often with the symptoms of | | | | |
| impulsiveness and hyperactivity preceding | | | | Because everyone shows some of these |
| those of inattention, which may not emerge | | | | behaviors at times, the diagnosis requires |
| for a year or more. Different symptoms may | | | | that such behavior be demonstrated to a |
| appear in different settings, depending on | | | | degree that is inappropriate for the person's |
| the demands the situation may pose for the | | | | age. The diagnostic guidelines also contain |
| child's self-control. A child who "can't sit | | | | specific requirements for determining when |
| still" or is otherwise disruptive will be | | | | the symptoms indicate ADHD. The behaviors |
| noticeable in school, but the inattentive | | | | must appear early in life, before age 7, and |
| daydreamer may be overlooked. | | | | continue for at least 6 months. Above all, |
| | | | the behaviors must create a real handicap in |
| The impulsive child who acts before thinking | | | | at least two areas of a person's life such as |
| may be considered just a "discipline | | | | in the schoolroom, on the playground, at |
| problem," while the child who is passive or | | | | home, in the community, or in social |
| sluggish may be viewed as merely unmotivated. | | | | settings. So someone who shows some symptoms |
| Yet both may have different types of ADHD. | | | | but whose schoolwork or friendships are not |
| All children are sometimes restless, | | | | impaired by these behaviors would not be |
| sometimes act without thinking, sometimes | | | | diagnosed with ADHD. Nor would a child who |
| daydream the time away. When the child's | | | | seems overly active on the playground but |
| hyperactivity, distractibility, poor | | | | functions well elsewhere receive an ADHD |
| concentration, or impulsivity begin to affect | | | | diagnosis. |
| performance in school, social relationships | | | | |
| with other children, or behavior at home, | | | | To assess whether a child has ADHD, |
| ADHD may be suspected. But because the | | | | specialists consider several critical |
| symptoms vary so much across settings, ADHD | | | | questions: Are these behaviors excessive, |
| is not easy to diagnose. This is especially | | | | long-term, and pervasive? That is, do they |
| true when inattentiveness is the primary | | | | occur more often than in other children the |
| symptom. | | | | same age? Are they a continuous problem, not |
| | | | just a response to a temporary situation? Do |
| According to the most recent version of the | | | | the behaviors occur in several settings or |
| Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental | | | | only in one specific place like the |
| Disorders2 (DSM-IV-TR), there are three | | | | playground or in the schoolroom? The person's |
| patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD. | | | | pattern of behavior is compared against a set |
| People with ADHD may show several signs of | | | | of criteria and characteristics of the |
| being consistently inattentive. They may have | | | | disorder as listed in the DSM-IV-TR. |
| a pattern of being hyperactive and impulsive | | | | |
| far more than others of their age. Or they | | | | Diagnosis |
| may show all three types of behavior. This | | | | |
| means that there are three subtypes of ADHD | | | | Some parents see signs of inattention, |
| recognized by professionals. These are the | | | | hyperactivity, and impulsivity in their |
| predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type | | | | toddler long before the child enters school. |
| (that does not show significant inattention); | | | | The child may lose interest in playing a game |
| the predominantly inattentive type (that does | | | | or watching a TV show, or may run around |
| not show significant hyperactive-impulsive | | | | completely out of control. But because |
| behavior) sometimes called ADD-an outdated | | | | children mature at different rates and are |
| term for this entire disorder; and the | | | | very different in personality, temperament, |
| combined type (that displays both inattentive | | | | and energy levels, it's useful to get an |
| and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms). | | | | expert's opinion of whether the behavior is |
| | | | appropriate for the child's age. Parents can |
| Hyperactivity-Impulsivity | | | | ask their child's pediatrician, or a child |
| | | | psychologist or psychiatrist, to assess |
| Hyperactive children always seem to be "on | | | | whether their toddler has an attention |
| the go" or constantly in motion. They dash | | | | deficit hyperactivity disorder or is, more |
| around touching or playing with whatever is | | | | likely at this age, just immature or |
| in sight, or talk incessantly. Sitting still | | | | unusually exuberant. |
| at dinner or during a school lesson or story | | | | |
| can be a difficult task. They squirm and | | | | ADHD may be suspected by a parent or |
| fidget in their seats or roam around the | | | | caretaker or may go unnoticed until the child |
| room. Or they may wiggle their feet, touch | | | | runs into problems at school. Given that ADHD |
| everything, or noisily tap their pencil. | | | | tends to affect functioning most strongly in |
| Hyperactive teenagers or adults may feel | | | | school, sometimes the teacher is the first to |
| internally restless. They often report | | | | recognize that a child is hyperactive or |
| needing to stay busy and may try to do | | | | inattentive and may point it out to the |
| several things at once. | | | | parents and/or consult with the school |
| | | | psychologist. Because teachers work with many |
| Impulsive children seem unable to curb their | | | | children, they come to know how "average" |
| immediate reactions or think before they act. | | | | children behave in learning situations that |
| They will often blurt out inappropriate | | | | require attention and self-control. However, |
| comments, display their emotions without | | | | teachers sometimes fail to notice the needs |
| restraint, and act without regard for the | | | | of children who may be more inattentive and |
| later consequences of their conduct. Their | | | | passive yet who are quiet and cooperative, |
| impulsivity may make it hard for them to wait | | | | such as those with the predominantly |
| for things they want or to take their turn in | | | | inattentive form of ADHD. |
| games. They may grab a toy from another child | | | | |
| or hit when they're upset. Even as teenagers | | | | With Much Love, |
| or adults, they may impulsively choose to do | | | | |
| things that have an immediate but small | | | | Arthur Buchanan |
| payoff rather than engage in activities that | | | | |
| may take more effort yet provide much greater | | | | President/CEO |
| but delayed rewards. | | | | |
| | | | Out of Darkness & Into the Light |
| Some signs of hyperactivity-impulsivity are: | | | | |
| | | | 43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012 |
| Feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands | | | | |
| or feet, or squirming while seated | | | | Huron Ohio, 44839 |
| | | | |
| Running, climbing, or leaving a seat in | | | | 567-219-0994 (cell) |
| situations where sitting or quiet behavior is | | | | |
| expected | | | | They are calling Arthur Buchanan's methods of |
| | | | recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! |
| Blurting out answers before hearing the whole | | | | (MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) 'Arthur |
| question | | | | Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue |
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| Having difficulty waiting in line or taking | | | | when Mental Illness at a all time high in the |
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| | | | this young mans methods, we assure you of |
| Inattention | | | | positive results and I QUOTE 'If these |
| | | | methods are followed precisely, their is no |
| Children who are inattentive have a hard time | | | | way you can't see positive results with |
| keeping their minds on any one thing and may | | | | whatever illness you have' -Dr. Herbert Palos |
| get bored with a task after only a few | | | | Detroit, Michigan |
| minutes. If they are doing something they | | | | |
| really enjoy, they have no trouble paying | | | | Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman |
| attention. But focusing deliberate, conscious | | | | Show! |
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