What is ADHD?

ADHD is a treatable medical disorder characterized by the core symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity that are experienced repeatedly and in a way that is severe enough to have an impact at home, at school, and in social situations. The specialists at KEGE Center can accurately diagnose ADHD in children and ADHD in adults with a recommendation for appropriate treatment options.

ADHD symptoms in adults

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity (ADHD) is a condition with symptoms that include excessive restlessness, poor attention, and impulsive acts. There are three major presentations of ADHD: predominantly inattentive, in which children and adults have problems concentrating and focusing; predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, in which children and adults experience impulsivity and excess activity; and combined type, in which children and adults experience symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

The reality: More than 60 percent of children with ADHD continued to experience symptoms into adulthood. Untreated ADHD in adults can have a significant negative impact on many aspects of life. Symptoms such as difficulty managing time, forgetfulness, and impatience can cause problems at work, home, and in all types of relationships.

Symptoms of inattention

• Often makes careless mistakes and lacks attention to details. Example: messy, disorganized work.
• Often has difficulty paying attention to tasks. Example: difficulty staying focused during meetings, lengthy readings, or conversations.
• Often seems to not listen when spoken to directly. Example: mind seems somewhere else, even in the absence of obvious distraction.
• Often fails to follow through on instructions, chores, or appointments. Example: starts tasks, but quickly loses focus and is easily sidetracked.
• Often easily distracted. Example: often thinking of unrelated thoughts
• Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities. Example: difficulty prioritizing; fails to meet deadlines; poor time management.
• Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to participate in tasks requiring sustained mental effort. Example: avoids work, school, or home tasks (procrastinates) in favor of activities with immediate rewards. Often loses things Example: loses or misplaces things like keys, glasses, wallets, and cell phones
• Often forgetful in daily activities. Example: forgets regular activities like paying bills on-time, returning phone calls, keeping appointments, and running errands

Symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity

• Often fidgets with or taps hands and feet or squirms in seat. Example: may also need to hold or fiddle with an object.
• Often leaves seat when remaining seated is expected. Example: frequently leaves their workspace to complete “other” tasks.
• Often unable to participate in leisurely activities quietly. Example: family tension due to constant activity.
• Often acts as if “on the go” or “driven by a motor”. Example: uncomfortable being still for extended time at restaurants or meetings.
• Often talks excessively. Example: wants to “say it” or risk forgetting a thought.
• Often blurts out an answer before a question has been fully asked. Example: completes people’s sentences; cannot wait for turn in conversation.
• Often has difficulty waiting his or her turn. Example: trouble waiting in lines or waiting rooms.
• Often interrupts or intrudes on others. Examples: intrudes on conversations, games, or activities; may start using other people’s things without asking or getting permission.

How ADHD may appear in different settings

Symptoms must be present in two or more settings for a diagnosis of ADHD to be made.

Home

• Forgets regular activities like paying bills on-time, returning phone calls, keeping appointments, and running errands
• Loses or misplaces things like keys, glasses, wallets, and cell phones
• Avoids tasks (procrastinates) in favor of activities with immediate rewards such as watching TV or surfing the internet

Work or school

• Trouble getting organized, i.e. trouble prioritizing or getting started; often missing deadlines; poor time management skills; often late to appointments
• Trouble sitting still with frequent need to leave meetings or classes
• Fails to pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes

Social

• Often failing to follow through with commitments
• Difficulty staying on topic during discussions
• Avoiding social activities in favor of staying home
• Changing personal relationships frequently
• Frequently interrupting conversations or speaking without thinking of the consequences

ADHD symptoms may appear differently in adulthood

ADHD can be a lifelong condition yet symptoms in adults may be less noticeable than those in children (ages 6-17), though they are just as important to identify. For example, symptoms of hyperactivity in children, such as climbing or running excessively, may appear in adults as a feeling of restlessness.

ADHD symptoms in children

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity (ADHD) is a condition with symptoms that include excessive restlessness, poor attention, and impulsive acts. There are three major presentations of ADHD: predominantly inattentive, in which children and adolescents have problems concentrating and focusing; predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, in which children and adolescents experience impulsivity and excess activity; and combined type, in which children and adolescents experience symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Symptoms of ADHD often continue into adulthood.

The reality: It is normal for children to have moments of inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity, but children with ADHD experience these symptoms to such a degree that daily functioning at home, school, and with peers is impacted.

ADHD Facts:

• ADHD is a treatable medical disorder. While the exact cause is not known, it may be caused by the reduction of neurotransmitters in the part of the brain controlling executive functioning and impulse control.
• It is normal for children to have moments of inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity, but children with ADHD experience these symptoms to such a degree that daily functioning is impacted at home, school, and with peers.
• As children with ADHD grow into adolescence, hyperactivity lessons yet they continue to have significant problems with disorganization, distraction, and poor impulse control.
• ADHD runs in families and environmental factors may be involved. It is inherited at a rate of nearly 75%. Risk of developing ADHD is increased for children born to mothers who smoked cigarettes, consumed alcohol, or had mental health issues during pregnancy; children born prematurely or with low birth weight; and children suffering a brain injury or seizure disorder.
• About 17 million people in the United States are affected by ADHD. To put that in context, the state population of Arizona is just over 7 million.

Symptoms of inattention

• Often makes careless mistakes and lacks attention to details. Example: making hasty decisions or not following directions.
• Often has difficulty paying attention to tasks or while playing. Example: daydreaming in class, easily distracted.
• Often seems to not listen when spoken to directly. Example: mind seems somewhere else, even in the absence of obvious distraction.
• Often fails to follow through on instructions, schoolwork or chores. Example: starts tasks, but quickly loses focus and is easily sidetracked.
• Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities. Example: messy, disorganized work; poor time management.
• Often avoids, dislikes, or is reluctant to participate in tasks requiring sustained mental effort. Example: avoids homework or chores, i.e. procrastinates.
• Often loses things. Example: loses homework, folders, or backpacks
• Often easily distracted. Example: often goes off on tangents during conversations
• Often forgetful in daily activities. Example: may forget to complete chores

Symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity

• Often fidgets with or taps hands and feet or squirms in seat. Example: may also need to hold or fiddle with an object.
• Often leaves seat when remaining seated is expected. Example: frequent requests to use the restroom to get out of class.
• Often runs or climbs where it is inappropriate or feels restless. Example: gravitates toward risky play activities involving stunts.
• Often unable to play quietly or, if older, participate in leisurely activities. Example: family tension due to constant activity.
• Often acts as if “on the go” or “driven by a motor”. Example: uncomfortable being still for an extended time at restaurants, church, or movies.
• Often talks excessively. Example: wants to “say it” or risk forgetting a thought.
• Often blurts out an answer before a question has been fully asked. Example: completes people’s sentences; cannot wait for turn in conversation.
• Often has difficulty waiting his or her turn. Example: trouble waiting in-line; limited patience; easily frustrated.
• Often interrupts or intrudes on others. Examples: intrudes on conversations, games, or activities; may start using other people’s things without asking or getting permission.

How ADHD may appear in different settings

ADHD symptoms may affect children (ages 6-17) in school, at home, and/or in social situations. For a diagnosis of ADHD to be made, symptoms must be present in two or more settings.

Home

• Fails to finish chores or homework
• Loses things like homework, books, pencils, eyeglasses, wallets, and mobile phones
• Difficulty doing leisure activities quietly

School

• Trouble getting organized. For instance, has trouble keeping materials and belongings in order; poor time-management skills
• Trouble sitting still, talking out of turn, or blurting out answers in school
• Fails to pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes

Social

• Difficulty waiting for his or her turn
• Frequently interrupts or intrudes on others. For instance, he or she may butt into conversations
• Talks excessively

Risks of not treating ADHD

• Increased risk for failing grades and dropping out of high school and college
• Behavior and discipline problems
• Social difficulties and family strife
• Accidental injury
• Alcohol and drug abuse
• Depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders
• Employment problems
• Driving accidents
• Unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases
• Delinquency, criminality, and arrest