Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) is a condition that becomes apparent in some children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behaviour and/or pay attention. It is estimated that between 3 and 5 percent of children have Adhd. This means that in a classroom of 25-30 children it is likely that at least one child will have Adhd.

A child with Adhd faces a difficult but not insurmountable task ahead. In order to achieve his or her full potential, he or she should receive help, guidance and understanding from parents/carers, guidance counselors and the public education system.

Symptoms
The principal characteristics of Adhd are
_ Inattention
_ Hyperactivity
_ Impulsivity
These symptoms appear early in a child's life. All children are sometimes restless, sometimes act without thinking but when the child's hyperactivity, distractibility, poor concentration or impulsivity begin to affect performance in school, social relationships with other children, or behaviour at home, Adhd may be suspected. But because the symptoms vary so much across settings, Adhd is not easy to diagnose. This is especially true when inattentiveness is the primary symptom.

Hyperactive children always seem to be on the go or constantly in motion. They dash around touching or playing with whatever is in sight or talk incessantly. Sitting still at dinner or during a school lesson or story can be a difficult task.

Hyperactive teenagers or adults may feel internally restless. They often report needing to stay busy and may try to do several things at once.

Impulsive children seem unable to curb their immediate reactions or think before they act. They will often blurt out inappropriate comments, display their emotions without restraint and act without regard for the later consequences of their conduct. Their impulsivity may make it hard for them to wait for things they want or to take their turn in games. Even as teenagers or adults, they may impulsively choose to do things that have an immediate but small payoff rather than engage in activities that may take more effort yet provide much greater but delayed rewards.

Inattention
Children who are inattentive have a hard time keeping their minds on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. If they are doing something they really enjoy, they have no trouble paying attention. But focusing deliberate, conscious attention to organizing and completing a task or learning something new is difficult. Homework is particularly hard for these children. Homework is often accompanied by frustration for both parent and child.

The diagnosis requires that such behaviour be demonstrated to a degree that is inappropriate for the person's age. The behaviours must appear early in life, before age 7 and continue for at least 6 months.
Above all the behaviours must create a real handicap in at least two areas of a person's life such as in the schoolroom, on the playground, at home, in the community or in social settings.