Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common disorders that affect children resulting in impaired functioning in various settings such as home, school and in social relationships. The disorder can have long term hazards if left untreated and can show its negativity right into adolescence and adulthood.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder that affects almost 3 to 5 per cent of the world’s population. This disorder appears during childhood and is accompanied by inattention, hyperactivity, forgetfulness and impulsivity. ADHD is a chronic condition and no sure shot cure is available for this disorder. However, certain medications and therapy are available to help curb the symptoms of ADHD. Nearly, sixty percent of the children affected by this disorder develop the condition before the age of 8. It is more common among boys and may be inherited or caused by trauma or exposure environmental toxins such as lead or PCBs.

Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):

The two categories in which the symptoms of ADHD are divided based on:

• Inattention
• Hyperactivity and impulsivity

Symptoms of ADHD based on inattention:

Inability to focus on or pay attention to minor details and may make careless mistakes in schoolwork.

The child might not be able to focus for very long while playing or in the classroom.

He/she might not even listen when spoken to directly.

The child has a strong dislike for tasks related to mental drilling such as homework or learning spellings, tables etc.

The child has the tendency to forget even minor details.

An ADHD child cannot follow instructions and may often fail to complete his/her homework, assignments and other tasks.

These children can be easily distracted and cannot stick to a specific task for long periods of time.

Hyperactivity and Impulsivity:

These children are extremely fidgety and cannot stay still for long.

They often leave their seat and run around in the classroom even when other children are seated.

They are gripped by feelings of restlessness.

These children tend to talk all the time.

They often blurt out the answers even before the question has been completed.

They interrupt others in the middle of games or class work.

Children with ADHD generally affect those around them negatively and have great difficulty in getting along with their parents as they cannot adhere to rules. Their behavior problems are often seen negatively by their peers and they are often regarded as a negative influence on others.