ADHD: Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurobiological disorder and may affect learning and behaviour throughout childhood and into adulthood. The exact cause is not known but it is believed to be due to an imbalance of dopamine and noradrenaline neurotransmitters in the brain.
ADHD can run in families and there may be other members of the immediate or extended family that have similar symptoms.
Characteristics features of ADHD.
- Hyperactivity
- Inattention
- Impulsivity
How might ADHD affect your child/young person.
Children and young people with hyperactivity may be unable to sit still, unable to remain calm, be fidgety, get up and move around when sitting is expected, fiddling and touching things and have sleep problems.
Chidren and young people who are inattentive may have difficulty concentrating for periods of time, forget instructions, be disorganised, swap and change activities frequently, easily distracted, struggle to complete tasks, have poor listening skills and be forgetful and lose things.
Children/young people are impulsve and may speak out and act without thinking, have difficulty waiting their turn, blurting out answers and interrupting others.
The features and severity of ADHD can vary from one person to the other, not all children and young people with ADHD will have all these symptoms.
Click here for more detail and information on the NHS website