by Dawn Hawkins

Created on: March 04, 2009   Last Updated: November 04, 2009

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is a disorder that turns a child's brain upside down. It can be treated with drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall. It is important to recognize the signs of ADHD in order to get them the help they need to function well in society.

When our children start school, we assume that everything will be okay. With most children, this is usually the case. How do you recognize the signs that your child may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

Here are the signs to look for:

Inattention

1. Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work or other activities.

Example: Your child is reading a book. He/she often looks around the room as if distracted by something that invisible to everyone else. He/she may even begin a conversation that has nothing to do with the book. This could be something along the lines of "My daddy drives a fire truck".

2. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.

Example: He/she is playing catch with a friend. Five minutes into the game he/she stops playing and moves to something else without warning.

3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.

Example: You ask your child to perform a task such as "take the trash out". Your child looks right at you but doesn't respond or will even walk away as if they didn't hear what you said. This can happen even though you were looking directly at them and they at you.

4. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions).

Example: You must sit down with your child in order for them to complete their homework. You often find papers in his/her book bag that are either unfinished or not even started. Even though you sit down with your child to help him/her complete their homework, they do not turn it in to the teacher.

5. Often has trouble organizing activities.

Example: When attempting to put together a puzzle, your child seems to have the inability to perform the simple task of turning all the pieces upright so that they can find the correct pieces easier. He/she seems in too big of a hurry to bother with the little things. There is no sense of the fact that performing one task first will make the job easier and faster in the long run.

6. Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for a long period

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