What is ADHD?
The symptoms of ADHD include a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed by individuals of the same age.
Common Symptoms:
1. Inattention that is disruptive to the person's life, and must have persisted for 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive.
2. The person very often fails to give close attention to details, or makes careless mistakes in school work or other activities.
3.The person is very often easily distracted be extraneous stimuli.
4. There has been persistent hyperactivity-impulsivity for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive or inconsistent with the developemental level.
5. The person is often on teh go or often acts as if driven by a motor. They seem unable to control this excessive engery level.
6. The person talks excessively and appears agitated or uncomfortable if not permitted to do so.
***** Excerpt from Psychological Services Center, University of Cincinnati
* Helpful article: Tips for Parents of Children with ADHD: http://www.readingrockets.org/article/41119
Books for Parents:
Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents by R. Barkley. New York, NY: Guilford Press; 1995.
Maybe You Know My Kid: A Parent's Guide to Identifying, Understanding, and Helping Your Child With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder by MC Fowler. New York, NY: Birch Lane Press; 1993.
Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder From Childhood Through Adulthood by EM Hallowell and J. Ratey. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1994.
Attention Deficit Disorder: A Different Perception by T. Hartmann. Grass Valley, Calif: Underwood Books; 1997.
Support Groups:
C.H.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)
www.chadd.org