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October is Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)  Awareness month. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting both children and adults. 

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ADHD is estimated to be present in 5.29% of the children worldwide. In adults, this is between 2.8 and 4.4%. These are averages: estimates vary in different countries.

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In most people having the diagnosis, ADHD is likely to be the result of their genetic make-up (i.e. their DNA) and events that happen to them throughout life. Together, these may cause slight differences in the development of the brain, as we see them in people with ADHD.

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ADHD involves problems with setting priorities, getting organized and getting started; sustaining attention and effort, managing alertness and emotions; utilizing working memory and other aspects of the brain’s self-management system, its “executive functions.”

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There are three presentations of ADHD:

  • Inattentive

  • Hyperactive-impulsive

  • Combined inattentive & hyperactive-impulsive

ADHD Resources

SYMPTOMS

  • impulsivity

  • lack of focus or concentration

  • hyperactivity

  • racing thoughts

  • emotional overwhelm

  • reactivity

 

Inattentive Presentation of Symptoms

  • Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes.

  • Has difficulty sustaining attention.

  • Does not appear to listen.

  • Struggles to follow through on instructions.

  • Has difficulty with organization.

  • Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort.

  • Loses things.

  • Is easily distracted.

  • Is forgetful in daily activities.

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Hyperactive-impulsive Presentation of Symptoms

  • Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair.

  • Has difficulty remaining seated.

  • Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults.

  • Difficulty engaging in activities quietly.

  • Acts as if driven by a motor; adults will often feel inside like they were driven by a motor.

  • Talks excessively.

  • Blurts out answers before questions have been completed.

  • Difficulty waiting or taking turns.

  • Interrupts or intrudes upon others.

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Combined Inattentive & Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation of Symptoms

  • Includes symptoms from both categories above

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