Core Symtoms

LESSON ONE – WHAT IS ADHD?

There continues to be a lot of discussion and debate about ADHD. Parents wonder whether their child might be ADHD, frustrated schools recommend parents get medication for their youngsters, and overworked doctors often prescribe medication to help children who are experiencing a host of problems. There has been a lot of research compiled over the years, and many books written about the pros and cons of ADHD, whether medication is the answer, or even whether it is appropriate to make a diagnosis. While a diagnosis might explain and help us understand what is happening, there is the danger of its becoming a label, which can do as much harm as good.

In sifting through the information available to us, traditional researchers consistently find that there is a problem, in that 3-5% of the children in the United States have ADHD (that figure is different in different countries), that more boys than girls are afflicted, and that it is a lifetime disorder even though it may seem to go away for some children when they reach their teen years. Some current researchers feel the numbers of ADHD children are much higher because girls often go undiagnosed and untreated.

Core ADHD Symptoms:

How do you determine if your child is ADHD? According to the American Psychiatric Association that publishes manuals for diagnostic purposes, the essential features of ADHD are "developmentally inappropriate degrees of inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity." It is important to know that ADHD is NOT a behavioral problem (although problems with behavior is definitely a byproduct); it is NOT a learning disability (but it affects their ability to learn); it is NOT manic-depression (although that may be a co-condition): and it is NOT an intelligence problem. A learning disability does not mean lack of intelligence. Many ADHD children are extremely bright! Consider, for example, that Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin were ADHD, and Benjamin Franklin had over 30 careers during his lifetime!

ADHD has a unique, chronic set of symptoms. Developmentally, these children are about two years behind their peers. For a child to be diagnosed with ADHD he needs to display at least eight of these symptoms for a time period of at least six months, starting before the age of seven:

• often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat (in adolescents, may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness)
• has difficulty remaining seated when required to do so
• is easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
• has difficulty awaiting turns in games or group situations
• often blurts out answers to questions before they are completed
• has difficulty following through on instructions from others (not due to oppositional behavior or failure of comprehension). Example: failure to finish chores
• has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities
• often shifts from one uncompleted activity to another
• has difficulty playing quietly
• often talks excessively
• often interrupts or intrudes on others. Example: intrudes into other children’s games without being invited.
• often does not seem to listen to what is being said to him/her.
• often loses things necessary to complete tasks or activities at school or at home. Example: Toys, pencils, books, assignments
• often engages in physically dangerous activities without considering possible consequences (this is not for purpose of thrill-seeking). Example: runs into the street without looking.

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