Do you suspect that your child has attention deficit disorder or, to put in clinically correct terms, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD)? But before you jump into any conclusions, you should know the facts first about this disorder.
So what exactly is AD/HD? Basically, it is a medical condition wherein a person is not able to maintain attention.
Engaging in impulsive behaviors and motor restlessness is also characteristic of people with this disorder.
This can occur in both children and adults.
However, cases in children are more usual, and unfortunately, more severe.
As for children with AD/HD, they usually encounter difficulty in concentrating or paying attention.
So you would notice that they easily get bored or frustrated.
There are also times that they are not able to follow your directions.
And since motor restlessness is also a characteristic, you may observe that kids with this disorder are always moving.
They also act on their impulse.
These behaviors get in the way of the children's normal functioning in school and at home.
The symptoms of this disorder can basically be categorized into three groups-inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
For a child with this disorder, inattention can be seen in a number of ways.
For one, he or she can easily be distracted from what he or she is currently doing.
One time he or she is coloring and then before you know it, he or she is already playing with his or her toys.
Your child may also find it difficult to follow directions or tasks even if you repeat your explanation several times.
When you notice that he or she does not listen to someone who is talking, that can be a sign of AD/HD.
Or when he or she does not pay attention to your reminders and often commit mistakes out of carelessness.
He or she may also have problems organizing his daily tasks.
There would be times that he or she would forget his schedule for the day, or lose his or her things.
You may also catch him or her daydreaming.
Hyperactivity is recognizable in a number of ways.
Perhaps you may have observed that your child is fidgeting or bouncing in his or her seat often.
Or he or she does not stay seated at all even if you told him or her so.
His or her friends may also have complained that he or she is very noisy and is talking excessively.
You will also see him or her moving all the time.
Finally, there is impulsivity.
For one, your child may have difficulty standing in line and waiting for his or her turn.
He or she may also be interruptive.
For instance when his or her friends are sharing stories, he or she may butt in while the others are telling their stories.
Or there may be times that he or she answers questions even if you are not finished saying the question yet.
If you observe these symptoms in your child, it would be best to consult your family doctor or pediatrician and have him or her tested for attention deficit disorder.