Characteristics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a very common disorder among children, and it has only increased throughout the years. “It is estimated that 3-5% of children have ADHD, accounting for approximately 2 million children in the United States” (Mattox, 2007). Mattox (2007) also makes note that boys are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD because they display more aggressive behaviors than girls do, which results in girls being diagnosed at a later age. The current diagnostic criterion for ADHD primarily focuses on significant hyperactivity and inattention. Aside from those two, in order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD the DSM-IV says symptoms must show begin to show before the age of seven, show impairment in two or more settings, the impairment must be clinically significant or affect academic functioning, and the symptoms cannot be explained by another mental disorder (Weis, 2008). Since children may show symptoms of ADHD, but some symptoms may not be as significant as others, the DSM-IV classifies three subtypes of ADHD that are used for diagnosing patients (Mattox, 2007). The first type is ADHD Combined Type (ADHD/C). Children diagnosed with this type show definite hyperactivity and impulsivity, as well as inattentiveness. The other two subtypes are ADHD Predominately Hyperactive-Impulsive (ADHD/HI) and ADHD Predominately Inattentive Type (ADHD/I). When children are diagnosed with one of these, they show a greater amount of symptoms regarding either hyperactivity or inattention but not both. Therefore, it is possible for children to be diagnosed with ADHD and show very minimal signs of hyperactivity. Weis (2008) suggests that children like this are described as having a sluggish cognitive tempo. In ot... ... middle of paper ... ...attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Implications of two conflicting views. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education. 53, 35-46. Mattox, R. R., & Harder, J. J. (2007). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and diverse populations. Child & Adolescent Social Work Journal, 24(2), 195-207. Poncin, Y., Sukhodolsky, D. G., McGuire, J., & Scahill, L. (2007). Drug and non-drug treatments of children with ADHD and tic disorders. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 1678-88. doi:10.1007/s00787-007-1010-8. Weis, R. (2008). Introduction to abnormal child and adolescent psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc. Young, S., & Amarasinghe, J. (2010). Practitioner Review: Non-pharmacological treatments for ADHD: A lifespan approach. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry, 51(2), 116-133. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7610.2009.02191.x

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