What is Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD?)

ADHD is an illness in which a person has problems with inattention, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity that interfere with more than one area of life.

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

Symptoms of this illness may include the following, when they occur more often than what is normal for a given age:

• Fidgeting or squirming
• Trouble staying seated
• Being easily distracted
• Having trouble waiting one's turn
• Blurting out answers
• Trouble following through on instructions
• Trouble paying attention for any length of time
• Trouble finishing things
• Trouble playing quietly
• Talking too much
• Interrupting or intruding on others
• Trouble listening to others
• Losing things
• Getting involved in risky activities
• Low self-esteem
• Quick shifts of mood
• Low frustration tolerance
• Temper outbursts
• School underachievement
• Perceptual-motor problems
• Problems getting along with others
• Problems making or keeping friends

What causes ADHD?

ADHD is thought to have a physical basis in most cases, but the exact cause probably varies from person to person. ADHD may be related to:

• Differences in brain function
• Heredity
• Exposure to toxins before birth
• Injury to the brain

What happens to people who have ADHD?

The course of ADHD varies from person to person. The symptoms most often appear before age 7. In most cases, the illness lasts until the teen years, and in many people, the symptoms persist into adult life. As adults, many people lose the symptom of hyperactivity but go on to suffer from problems paying attention, impulsivity and poor work or school performance. This is called ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). With treatment, a person with ADHD or ADD can develop good social, school and work skills.

What is the treatment for ADHD?

Treatment of ADHD often consists of stimulants or other medications, a consistent and predictable daily schedule, support, counseling or therapy, limit setting, discipline and consistent rules, special education, skills training for getting along with others, behavior modification, occupational therapy, support groups and education.

What can I do to help get my ADHD under control?

• Attend therapy or counseling sessions.
• Use self time-outs.
• Learn what makes you feel anxious.
• Talk about feelings instead of acting on them.
• Find and use ways to calm yourself.
• Set long-term and short-term goals for yourself.
• Remind yourself of your goals many times a day.
• Reduce noise and activity at home, in school and at work.
• Break complex tasks into smaller parts.
• Get regular exercise that you enjoy.
• Learn how to talk to other people.
• Make and stick to a consistent, predictable daily schedule.
• Find healthy ways to have fun.
• Learn ways to get along with other people.
• Eat a healthy diet.

What happens if the symptoms return after I get them under control?

When things are going well, the patient and his family and the therapist or counselor should plan what to do if ADHD symptoms regain strength. The plan should include what exact symptoms would be grounds for action. A pact should be made to call the therapist/counselor immediately when those symptoms occur, and at the same time to call on other people who can help. Specific ways to limit stress and activity and to provide structure should be planned during a stable period, so they can be put in place quickly if symptoms flare.

Where can I get more information about ADHD?

There are some good books about ADHD:

Colleen Alexander-Roberts. The ADHD Parenting Handbook, Taylor Publishing, 1994.

Anthony J. Amen, Sharon Johnson and Daniel G. Amen. A Teenager's Guide to Attention Deficit Disorder. Mind Work Press, 1997.

Russell Barkley. Defiant Children, 2nd edition. Guilford Press, 1997.

Russell Barkley. Taking Charge of ADHD, revised edition. Guilford Press, 2000.

Rex Forehand and Nicholas Long. Parenting the Strong-Willed Child. NTC Publishing Group, 1996.

Stephen W. Garber, Marianne Daniel-Garber and Robyn Freedman Spizman. Beyond Ritalin. Harper