Understanding Childhood ADD: Symptoms, Impact & Support

Attention deficit disorder (ADD), sometimes referred to as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a disorder that causes problems with the inhibition of spontaneous responses. This lack of inhibitions leads to several symptoms that can negatively affect a child's life.

Significance

• When left untreated, ADD symptoms can cause problems at home and school. Learning, making and keeping friends, and getting things done in general are difficult for a child with untreated ADD.

Types

• There are two basic types of ADD: hyperactive and inattentive. These types cause the same basic problems, but vary widely in symptoms.

Features

• ADD has three symptoms that vary in intensity from child to child: inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. These symptoms are often combined together, and not all three are present in every case of ADD.

Identification

• Inattentive-ADD causes problems with following directions, finishing projects, organizing, losing things, being distracted and making careless mistakes. Hyperactive-ADD is far easier to detect, as the children will usually be highly disruptive, squirm and fidget constantly, and will talk excessively.

Time Frame

• The signs and symptoms of ADD or ADHD typically surface before the age of seven.

Considerations

• All children have some symptoms of ADD. If the symptoms don't exist in all situations, it's probably not ADD.