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ADHD Overview

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition with symptoms such as inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The symptoms differ from person to person. ADHD was formerly called ADD, or attention deficit disorder. Both children and adults can have ADHD, but the symptoms always begin in childhood. Adults with ADHD may have trouble managing time, being organized, setting goals, and holding down a job.

What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD) affects children and teens and can continue into adulthood. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental disorder of children. Children with ADHD may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses. Or they may have trouble paying attention. These behaviors interfere with school and home life.

It's more common in boys than in girls. It's usually discovered during the early school years, when a child begins to have problems paying attention.

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attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity

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ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a condition with symptoms such as inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The symptoms differ from person to person. ADHD was formerly called ADD, or attention deficit disorder. Both children and adults can have ADHD, but the symptoms always begin in childhood.

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Overview

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.

Inattention means a person wanders off task, lacks persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized; and these problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.

Hyperactivity means a person seems to move about constantly, including in situations in which it is not appropriate; or excessively fidgets, taps, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme restlessness or wearing others out with constant activity.

Impulsivity means a person makes hasty actions that occur in the moment without first thinking about them and that may have high potential for harm; or a desire for immediate rewards or inability to delay gratification. An impulsive person may be socially intrusive and excessively interrupt others or make important decisions without considering the long-term consequences.

Signs and Symptoms

Risk Factors

Treatment and Therapies

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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. Inattention means a person wanders off task, lacks persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized; and these problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.

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What Is ADHD?

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a medical condition. A person with ADHD has differences in brain development and brain activity that affect attention, the ability to sit still, and self-control. ADHD can affect a child at school, at home, and in friendships.

What Are the Signs of ADHD?

All kids struggle at times to pay attention, listen and follow directions, sit still, or wait their turn. But for kids with ADHD, the struggles are harder and happen more often.

Kids with ADHD may have signs from one, two, or all three of these categories:

Inattentive. Kids who are inattentive (easily distracted) have trouble focusing their attention, concentrating, and staying on task. They may not listen well to directions, may miss important details, and may not finish what they start. They may daydream or dawdle too much. They may seem absent-minded or forgetful, and lose track of their things.

Hyperactive. Kids who are hyperactive are fidgety, restless, and easily bored. They may have trouble sitting still, or staying quiet when needed. They may rush through things and make careless mistakes. They may climb, jump, or roughhouse when they shouldn't. Without meaning to, they may act in ways that disrupt others.

Impulsive. Kids who are impulsive act too quickly before thinking. They often interrupt, might push or grab, and find it hard to wait. They may do things without asking for permission, take things that aren't theirs, or act in ways that are risky. They may have emotional reactions that seem too intense for the situation.

Sometimes parents and teachers notice signs of ADHD when a child is very young. But it's normal for little kids to be distractible, restless, impatient, or impulsive - these things don't always mean that a child has ADHD.

Attention, activity, and self-control develop little by little, as children grow. Kids learn these skills with help from parents and teachers. But some kids don't get much better at paying attention, settling down, listening, or waiting. When these things continue and begin to cause problems at school, home, and with friends, it may be ADHD.

How Is ADHD Diagnosed?

If you think your child has ADHD, make an appointment with your child's doctor. He or she will give your child a check-up, including vision and hearing, to be sure something else isn't causing the symptoms. The doctor can refer you to a child psychologist or psychiatrist if needed.

To diagnose ADHD, doctors start by asking about a child's health, behavior, and activity. They talk with parents and kids about the things they have noticed. Your doctor might ask you to complete checklists about your child's behavior, and might ask you to give your child's teacher a checklist too.

After gathering this information, doctors diagnose ADHD if it's clear that:

A child's distractibility, hyperactivity, or impulsivity go beyond what's usual for their age.

The behaviors have been going on since the child was young.

Distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity affect the child at school and at home.

A health check shows that another health or learning issue isn't causing the problems.

Many kids with ADHD also have learning problems, oppositional and defiant behaviors, or mood and anxiety problems. Doctors usually treat these along with the ADHD.

How Is ADHD Treated?

Treatment for ADHD usually includes:

Medicine. This activates the brain's ability to pay attention, slow down, and use more self-control.

Behavior therapy. Therapists can help kids develop the social, emotional, and planning skills that are lagging with ADHD.

Parent coaching. Through coaching, parents learn the best ways to respond to behavior difficulties that are part of ADHD.

School support. Teachers can help kids with ADHD do well and enjoy school more.

The right treatment helps ADHD improve. Parents and teachers can teach younger kids to get better at managing their attention, behavior, and emotions. As they grow older, kids should learn to improve their own attention and self-control.

When ADHD is not treated, it can be hard for kids to succeed. This may lead to low self-esteem, depression, oppositional behavior, school failure, risk-taking behavior, or family conflict.

What Can Parents Do?

If your child is diagnosed with ADHD:

Be involved. Learn all you can about ADHD. Follow the treatment your child's health care provider recommends. Keep all recommended appointments for therapy.

Give medicines safely. If your child is taking ADHD medicine, always give it at the recommended time and dose. Keep medicines in a safe place.

Work with your child's school. Ask teachers if your child should have an IEP. Meet often with teachers to find out how your child is doing. Work together to help your child do well.

Parent with purpose and warmth. Learn what parenting approaches are best for a child with ADHD - and which can make ADHD worse. Talk openly and supportively about ADHD with your child. Focus on your child's strengths and positive qualities.

Connect with others for support and awareness. Join a support organization for ADHD to get updates on treatment and other information.

What Causes ADHD?

It's not clear what causes the brain differences of ADHD. There's strong evidence that ADHD is mostly inherited. Many kids who have ADHD have a parent or relative with it.

ADHD is not caused by too much screen time, poor parenting, or eating too much sugar.

ADHD can improve when kids get treatment, eat healthy food, get enough sleep and exercise, and have supportive parents who know how to respond to ADHD.

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ADHD is a common medical condition that can affect kids at school, at home, and in friendships. This article is for parents who want to learn more about ADHD and how to help kids get the best diagnosis and care.

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Other health impairment is a disability category included in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It covers a variety of conditions, diseases, disorders, and injuries that substantially affect a student's strength, vitality, or alertness.

To be identified with an "other health impairment," the student's condition must cause a substantial impact on his educational performance.

The student may qualify for special education services to help them learn and succeed. You may see "other health impairment" abbreviated as OHI.

IDEA Definition

Other health impairments may be caused by chronic or acute health problems, meaning they can be ones that will last for a long time (or life) or ones that result from an illness or accident but improvement is expected. The condition would be expected to have an impact for at least 60 days.

Examples given in the Act include asthma, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, hemophilia, lead poisoning, leukemia, nephritis, rheumatic fever, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette syndrome. This list does not include all possible health issues that could result in a diagnosis of other health impairment.

Some of these conditions can be managed with medication and are less likely to have a substantial impact on learning ability.

The designation only applies when the student's ability to progress in a typical classroom is affected by their debility. This designation allows the student to get access to the special educational services they need.

The OHI category covers many conditions not already spelled out as disabilities in the IDEA.

Examples of other disabilities that already have their own categories in IDEA are autism, blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, mental retardation, orthopedic impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, and traumatic brain injury. These are already separately listed and therefore are not OHI.

ADHD

The category includes a "heightened alertness to environmental stimuli, that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment." A student with attention deficit disorder, for example, who is distracted by the everyday classroom environment and who cannot pay attention may be diagnosed with an "other health impairment" if the problem is severe enough to affect his learning. ADHD is one of the most common conditions that result in referral for special education services as an OHI.

OHI and Special Education

Other health impairments grew as the classification of 4.5 percent of the special education students in a 2001 study to 12 percent, with much of the increase being from students with ADHD.

Eligibility for a Diagnosis

The IEP Committee of a school would consider a medical statement of the student's impairment. It should be permanent or expected to last for more than 60 days.

The condition would be affecting the student's strength, vitality or alertness in the classroom environment and it has an adverse effect on their educational performance. Evaluations may be done assessing educational performance and identifying the student's needs for special education.
Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(3); 1401(30) [ 71 FR 46753, Aug. 14, 2006, as amended at 72 FR 61306, Oct. 30, 2007]

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Other Health Impairment Disability Category for Students

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Other health impairment is a disability category included in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It covers a variety of conditions, diseases, disorders, and injuries that substantially affect a student's strength, vitality, or alertness. To be identified with an "other health impairment," the student's condition must cause a substantial impact on his educational performance.

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There is a range of medical diagnoses and subsequent health problems that can have a temporary or chronic impact on a student's academic performance. Common diagnoses include arthritis, cancer, multiple sclerosis, asthma, AIDS, and heart disease. Unless the condition is neurological in nature, health impairments are not likely to directly affect learning.

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Physical Disabilities - The Special Ed Wiki

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The U.S. Department of Education estimates that 0.6 percent of the school-aged population has physical or health disabilities. This figure may be misleading in some ways, because it includes only those students who are eligible for special services. If medication or other assistance controls a condition, the child is ineligible.

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Types of Disabilities | List of General Disability Categories

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LDS.org provides individuals, families, and members a basic overview of some general disability categories.

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Published: 2011-12-01 (Revised/Updated 2017-06-25) : Author: BraunAbility

Synopsis: Infographic examines the subject of disability in America and highlights some of the obstacles that disabled Americans face on a daily basis.
"More than 16 million Americans have cognitive limitations or a mental illness that interferes with their daily activities."
Main Document

Disabilities affect Americans of all walks of life - from famous Hollywood stars to small town military heroes.

In fact, some 54 million Americans - a full 19 percent of the non-institutionalized population - suffer from a physical or cognitive disability. This infographic examines the subject of disability in America and highlights some of the obstacles that disabled Americans face on a daily basis.

One obstacle area involves transportation. Millions of Americans use a wheelchair or a walking aid such as a cane; consequently, getting around can take a lot more effort. Nevertheless, there is some reason for optimism due to the availability of mobility products such as a wheelchair lift and handicapped vehicles like accessible vans. And there are positive trends in public transportation as well. In 2007, some 98 percent of transit buses were equipped with ramps - up from just 62 percent in 1995.

Employment represents another challenge area for America's disabled population. An estimated 14.5 percent of disabled people have been unemployed, compared to 9 percent of the general population. The numbers for people in wheelchairs are even more disturbing. Less than 20 percent of wheelchair and walker users are employed.

Another obstacle for the disabled is education. Some 28 percent of disable people ages 25 and older have less than a high school education. Just 13 percent of disabled Americans over 25 have a bachelor's degree or higher.

Disabilities can range from physical or mental. More than 16 million Americans have cognitive limitations or a mental illness that interferes with their daily activities.
Infographic below courtesy of www.braunability.com Infographic of Some Disability Statistics in America What the Infographic Says (For the vision impaired): Disability in America:
Despite the various challenges of their everyday lives, many Americans are able to overcome their physical or mental disabilities. Famous wheelchair users include former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and actor Christopher Reeve.

54 Million Americans - 19% of non-institutionalized population has a disability - 12.4% of women and 11.7% of men.

65+ = 38%

18 - 64 = 10%

5 - 17 = 5%

1 million unable to hear conversation.

1.8 million unable to see printed words.

2.5 million difficulty having their speech understood.

3.3 million use a wheelchair.

10 million use a walking aid (cane, crutches, walker)

16.1 million have limitations in cognitive functioning or mental illness that interfere with daily activities.
Education:
In 2007 98% of transit buses were ramp-equipped. Up from 65% in 1995.

13% of people 25+ with a disability (1.8% of mobility device users) have a bachelors degree or higher.
Veterans:
28% of people 25+ with a disability (10.9% of mobility device users) have less than a high school education.

21.9 million veterans in the U.S. in 2009.

5.5 million with a disability.

3.3 million service related disability.
Famous:
652,000 service related disability rated higher than 70% on the compensation scale.

Famous wheelchair users include President Franklin D. Roosevelt, actor Christopher Reeve, and scientist Stephen Hawking.

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Published: 2011-12-01 (Revised/Updated 2017-06-25) : Author: BraunAbility Synopsis: Infographic examines the subject of disability in America and highlights some of the obstacles that disabled Americans face on a daily basis. "More than 16 million Americans have cognitive limitations or a mental illness that interferes with their daily activities."