ADHD
ADHD and ADHD (Inattentive) – previously known as ADD
Primary Characteristics
Overactivity
- Your child is struggling in schoolwork
- Your child is displaying challenging behaviours
- He/She is hyperactive/impulsive
- He/She does not like school
- He/She is depressed
- there are signs of anxiety
Inattention
- May have poor concentration/attention or difficulty keeping his/her mind on work
- Don’t seem to listen
- May have difficulty starting and/or finishing tasks
- Make careless mistakes
- May give up easily or be easily bored
Impulsivity
- Often act quickly without thinking e.g. run into street without checking for cars
- Seems to have defective hindsight (don’t learn from experience)
- Tend to be physically accident-prone
- Difficulty following rules or waiting their turn
- May interrupt others or talk too much
Impulsivity
- Often act quickly without thinking e.g. run into street without checking for cars
- Seems to have defective hindsight (don’t learn from experience)
- Tend to be physically accident-prone
- Difficulty following rules or waiting their turn
- May interrupt others or talk too much
Distractibility
- Tends to switch back and forth between tasks
- Frequently learn irrelevant material and not what they were expected to learn
Excitability
- May be easily excited
- Typically have low frustration tolerance (‘short fuses’)
- Wants to have playmates but are often upset or ‘set off’ by them
- Extremely emotional
Disorganization
- Difficulty organizing tasks and activities
- Poor time management
- May have poor planning and/or prioritizing skills
- May complete projects at the last minute
- Often mislay or lose supplies, books, homework, day planners, clothes and ever treasured possessions.
Primary Characteristics
Peer Relationship Problems
- Difficulty with friendships, poor social skills and limited social connections
- May appear to be unaccepted by the group
- Often not sensitive to needs of others
- Often miss cues, misread social situations
- Tend to take a bossy ‘play-it-my-way-or-not-at-all’ approach
- Difficulty keeping friends
Learning Problems
- Academic struggles (reading, spelling and/or maths).
- May have difficulty learning and/or remembering concepts
- May need extra explanations or help
Familial Problems
- May feel that parents do not love or notice him/her
- May feel unjustly criticized and/or punished at home
- Tend to catalyze family conflict
- Parents may disagree about how to handle certain situations and end up arguing or taking different directions
Low Self-Concept
- Often lacks in confidence in learning abilities
- Often lacks confidence in social relationships
Contact Us
Behaviour displayed by children and adults is a product of their experiences and learning. It has a meaning and function. Behaviour can be modified if we can modify their experiences and environment.