People with ADHD can be dreamy or energetic. This is because the four main behaviors that characterize the condition – inattention, distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity – do not always occur to the same extent. Often either the first two are predominant, or the second two. Some people have both sets of symptoms, and all children with ADHD have trouble completing their homework, keeping their room tidy, and interacting with other people. Two-thirds of children with ADHD have other abnormalities that worsen the problems. A third to a half may have oppositional defiant disorder (also called conduct disorder). Broadly speaking, this means that in addition to being inattentive and/or hyperactive, they are also extremely uncooperative and quick to anger – what we might call unruly or grumpy (although people with these conditions cannot help this).
Up to a quarter are also anxious or depressed, and up to a third have general problems with learning: with reading, writing and even with simple physical skills such as hitting a ball or cycling.
It is sometimes difficult to recognize a child with ADHD. The individual symptoms of their condition also occur in normal children.
But someone with ADHD has a whole problem that cannot be solved without help. Parents should try to consider this before making statements like those discussed on the following pages.
One condition, many names
ADHD has been referred to in many ways in the past, as disorder, deficit, condition and syndrome. This reflects physicians’ uncertainty about ADHD for more than 100 years after the disease was first described.
The following names have been used for ADHD:
- Hyperactive Impulse Disorder
- Developmental Hyperactivity
- Minimal Brain Dysfunction
- Moral Control Deficit
- Hyperactive Child Syndrome
- Hyperkinetic Syndrome
- Minimal Brain Damage Syndrome
- Organic Drivenness
ADHD and inattention and distractibility
‘Everything I say goes in one ear and out the other. Many children with ADHD can’t keep their attention focused on anything for a moment, so you never know if they heard what you said or will do what you asked. But children with ADHD are not perpetually inattentive. Sometimes they follow you; sometimes they dream away. Some patients are distracted by their own thoughts; they are often smart, but sit quietly in class and learn little.
ADHD and impulsivity
‘He’s a disaster on his bike; he has no sense of safe traffic. When children are impulsive, they act before thinking. There’s no point in arguing about this. They know what they should do, but children with ADHD have no control over their instinctive impulses. Impulsive behavior can be a major concern because it causes children to do things that are dangerous, such as climbing on roofs or brandishing sharp knives.
In class they interrupt and talk out of turn.
ADHD and hyperactivity
‘I could never take him to a china store. Children with ADHD are often much more active than other children in their age group – some were hyperactive and demanding even as babies. These children are going wild on the playground. It is often impossible for them to sit still in class. At home they run around, which can cause others to become irritable and exhausted.
ADHD and social awkwardness
‘She is hurt because her classmates avoid her, but she herself is the cause. Although many children with ADHD are sensitive and caring, others have no sense of social rules. They would like to be popular, but don’t understand how to make friends. They often seem pushy and overbearing. Their impulses are so strong that they don’t notice the effect they have on other people, who think they are just being bossy. They often say or do things that are inappropriate or tactless.
ADHD and poor coordination
“He’s so clumsy; he is chosen last for each game. Most children with ADHD have problems with fine motor skills – precise movements such as coloring, writing and tying shoelaces. Some also have problems with gross motor skills, such as riding a bike or catching a ball. Some children with ADHD are really clumsy; others appear clumsy because they do things thoughtlessly and impulsively. Some are both.
ADHD and confusion
‘He leaves a trail of lost things everywhere he goes. Most children are sloppy or disorderly to some degree, but a child with ADHD could win prizes for creating chaos: clothes backwards; unpaired socks; messages from school that are not conveyed; lost books and of course a bedroom that looks like an earthquake has occurred.
ADHD and low self-esteem
She’s now giving up without even trying. It is not surprising that children with ADHD often suffer from low self-esteem due to all their problems. They’re usually smart enough to see that they’re making a mess, but they can’t stop themselves. As a parent, it is heartbreaking to see a child suffer from his inability to perform. They want to win prizes and be named to the team. All children want to do well and want their parents to be proud of them. Children with ADHD can sometimes feel like they are doomed to failure.
