Is It AD/HD?

Does your child have trouble paying attention or staying focused for any length of time?  Does you child act without thinking and can't seem to sit still?  Is your child's behavior attracting negative attention at school, in the community and at home?  If so, you may want to consider having your child evaluated by a qualified professional for Attention/Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD).

AD/HD or ADD is the name applied to a cluster of neurobehavioral symptoms whose cause, though not fully known, is believed to be biological and hereditary with up to 3-5% of the school age population estimated to have the disorder.  Although the incidence of AD/HD is believed to be fairly evenly distributed between boys and girls, boys are more likely to exhibit the hyperactive/impulsive features that can bring them the negative attention of teachers, legal authorities and parents than are girl whose symptoms may not be as disruptive.  While children may exhibit some of the behavioral symptoms of AD/HD as early as two years old, the disorder usually is not diagnosed before age seven.

AD/HD symptoms fall into three general clusters - Inattention, Hyperactivity and Impulsivity.

• Inattention is the inability to focus on one subject for any length of time.  Children with this problem can alternate between the inability to pay attention and being hyper focused.
• Hyperactivity is the inability to sit still.  Children with this problem appear "driven by a motor," restless or constantly in motion.
• Impulsivity is reacting before thinking.  Children with this problem may talk out of turn, have problems waiting their turn, and act without considering the consequences of their behavior.

While the diagnosis of AD/HD has become more prevalent in the past 25 years, the same cluster of behavioral symptoms may also signal other problem that need to be ruled out.  Children with anxiety and depression often are inattentive, impulsive and hyperactive.  Allergic reactions, lead poisoning, and severe head trauma have similar symptoms to AD/HD, and creativity in children often manifests itself as inattention, daydreaming, sensation seeking, and an inability to finish projects, hyperactivity, mood swings, academic underachievement and deficient social skills.

Is it AD/HD or another emotional, physical or behavioral problem?  A qualified professional will conduct an extensive interview, administer appropriate tests and collect necessary background information.  With accurate diagnosis and treatment, children with AD/HD can better navigate the "land mines" of low self-esteem, depression, anger, and learning and behavioral problems that often plague those who struggle with this disorder.

Janice L. Peterson, Ph.D.

Consulting Psychologist