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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder, occurring in around 5% of school-age children and 2.5% of adults, where people who are affected by ADHD typically show high levels of symptoms relating to poor concentration, disorganisation, impulsivity, hyperactivity and mood instability.
ADHD is not a developmental disorder like autism but is a brain disorder influenced by a variety of factors including genetics, exposure to toxins during pregnancy and low birth weight.
Types of ADHD:
- Predominantly Inattentive Presentation. Common signs and symptoms include frequent daydreaming, lack of focus or poor concentration, making careless mistakes in schoolwork, not listening when spoken to directly, or being easily distracted or forgetful.
- Predominantly Hyperactive Presentation. Common signs and symptoms include impulsive behavior, moving constantly with an intention to distract others, inability to stay seated when sitting still is expected, talking excessively when quiet is preferred, lack of patience and interrupting others.
- Combined Presentation. Common signs and symptoms include a mix of the above. For example, one minute the child is daydreaming and cannot focus and the next minute the child is getting up and out of his or her seat.
