ADHD

 What is ADHD? 

ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition that primarily impacts an individual's capacity to concentrate, manage impulsive behaviors, and modulate their levels of energy. People with ADHD often encounter challenges related to focusing, managing excess energy, and acting impulsively. While this disorder is frequently identified during childhood, its manifestations can endure throughout adolescence and into adulthood.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent mental condition in children. Its symptoms encompass inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This chronic disorder significantly affects various aspects of an individual's life, including academics, relationships, and daily functioning. When untreated, it can result in lowered self-esteem and social functioning in children. Among adults with ADHD, low self-worth, criticism sensitivity, and increased self-criticism are common, often stemming from lifelong criticism experiences. The prevalence of ADHD is approximately 8.4% in children and 2.5% in adults. It is typically identified in school-aged children due to classroom disruptions or academic difficulties. ADHD is more frequently diagnosed in boys due to differences in symptom manifestation, with boys displaying hyperactivity while girls tend to exhibit inattention.

SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS

Numerous children might experience challenges in remaining still, waiting their turn, focusing, exhibiting restlessness, and acting on impulse. However, children who meet the criteria for an ADHD diagnosis stand out in that their hyperactivity, impulsiveness, organization, and/or inattention symptoms are markedly more pronounced compared to what is typical for their age or developmental stage. These symptoms result in significant distress and lead to issues within the home, school or work, and relationships. It's important to note that these observed symptoms aren't due to defiance or an inability to comprehend tasks or instructions.

ADHD manifests in three primary forms:

1. Predominantly inattentive presentation.

2. Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation.

3. Combined presentation.

Diagnosing ADHD hinges on the presence of persistent symptoms occurring consistently over a six-month period. While the disorder can be identified at any age, its onset is typically in childhood. To make the diagnosis, the symptoms should have emerged before the individual turned 12 and must have caused difficulties in multiple settings, not exclusively  at home.

It's common for kids to occasionally struggle with paying attention and behaving well. But for children with ADHD, these difficulties don't simply go away over time. The symptoms persist, and they can be quite serious, causing challenges in school, at home, and with friends.

A child with ADHD might:

- Frequently daydream

- Forget or misplace things often

- Wiggle or fidget a lot

- Talk excessively

- Make careless errors or take unnecessary risks

- Find it tough to resist doing things they shouldn't

- Have difficulty waiting their turn

- Experience trouble getting along with others