Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning or achievements. ADHD begins in childhood and continues through adolescence and adulthood. When not properly identified, diagnosed and treated, ADHD has potentially devastating consequences and can lead to significant issues personally and professionally.
ADHD Subtypes
Primarily Inattentive
Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes
Has difficulty sustaining attention
Does not appear to listen
Struggles to follow through with instructions
Has difficulty with organization
Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort
Loses things
Is easily distracted
Is forgetful in daily activities
Combined Type
Presents with both inattentive and hyperactive types
These symptoms can change over time, so adults may fit different presentations from when they were children.
Primarily Hyperactive
Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair
Has difficulty remaining seated
Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults
Difficulty engaging in activities quietly
Acts as if driven by a motor; adults will often feel inside as if they are driven by a motor
Talks excessively
Blurts out answers before questions have been completed
Difficulty waiting or taking turns
Interrupts or intrudes upon others
In Adulthood
Most adults who seek an evaluation for ADHD are having significant problems in their daily lives. The following are some of the most common problems:
Inconsistent performance in jobs; losing or quitting jobs frequently
History of academic and/or career underachievement
Poor ability to manage day-to-day responsibilities, such as completing household chores, maintenance tasks, paying bills or organizing things
Relationship problems due to not completing tasks
Forgetting important things or getting upset easily over minor things
Chronic stress and worry due to failure to accomplish goals and meet responsibilities
Chronic and intense feelings of frustration, guilt or blame
How Do I Know if I Need an Evaluation?
In Childhood
Kids show signs of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity in specific ways. These could be
Being in constant motion
Squirming and fidgeting, even for short periods of time
Do not seem to listen, “selective hearing”
Have trouble playing quietly
Often talk excessively
Interrupt or intrude on others
Are easily distracted
Do not finish tasks
Lose things, even when important
Often women and girls with ADHD fall behind, and are not diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood. Due to the different presentation of inattentive ADHD in girls, some presentation of ADHD may be incorrectly diagnosed as anxiety, depression, social anxiety, bipolar disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, etc.
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Accommodations and Accessibility
ADHD Websites and Resources
CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD)
https://chadd.org/
In working towards our mission, the behavior of the CHADD staff and volunteer leadership is determined by the following core values:
Integrity
Respectful, open communication
Quality of our work product and productivity in our work effort, to assure sustained customer satisfaction
Flexibility and teamwork
A demonstrated commitment to diversity in all its forms
Dedicated to fulfilling CHADD’s mission with passion and enthusiasm
Verywell Mind, ADHD
https://www.verywellmind.com/adhd-overview-4581801
Welcome to Verywell Mind, an award-winning resource for reliable, compassionate, and up-to-date information on the mental health topics that matter most to you. We are dedicated to empowering you with the best answers to your most pressing health and wellness questions.
For more than 20 years, we’ve worked hard to create and refine our curated library of comprehensive and trustworthy information. Our team of writers and editors are industry experts, including healthcare professionals and health journalists, who write and continually update our 5,500+ article library.
ADDitude Magazine
https://www.additudemag.com/
Since 1998, millions of parents and adults have trusted ADDitude's expert guidance and support for living better with ADHD and its related mental health conditions. Our mission is to be your trusted advisor, an unwavering source of understanding and guidance along the path to wellness.
It remains our mission to be our readers most reliable advisor and ally, and a source of inspiration along the path to health and well-being. We are committed to providing the most accurate, up-to-date information from the nation’s leading medical and mental health professionals in the field as well as empathetic voices from real people living with ADHD. We provide evidence-based, expert guidance and in-the-trenches understanding to help readers navigate the very real challenges that arise from living with ADHD and related conditions.
We recognize that the information we have at our disposal today, might change with further evidence tomorrow; that’s why we continually research, fact-check, and work closely with the medical community to ensure we deliver the most dependable information we have right now.