Attention

Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder
In Children

What is it?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder. It is one of
the most common childhood
disorders, and has two
subcategories: hyperactivity-
impulses and inattentiveness.
Children generally do not suffer
from one type, but will be
predominantly one more than the
other.1

Fast Facts
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-
-

- What is it?
- What are the causes?
- What are the symptoms?
- What might a child experience
in a school setting?
- Support


1

9.5% of all children ages 417

years were diagnosed with
ADHD
13.3% of boys were diagnosed
5.6% of girls were diagnosed2

National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.). Attention

Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved February 26,

2016, from
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-
deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml

CHADD, National Resource on ADHD. (n.d.). General

Prevalence. Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
http://www.chadd.org/Understanding-ADHD/About-
ADHD/Data-and-Statistics/General-Prevalence.aspx

What are the causes?

A definite cause has not been
identified. However, ADHD
appears to be an interaction of
genetics and environmental
factors.
Studies suggest that ADHD is
inherited as a polygenic trait.3
Common environmental factors
include:
- Smoking or drinking during
pregnancy
- Birth complications
- Very low birth weight
- Exposure to lead or other
toxic substances
- Extreme neglect, abuse, or
social deprivation
- Food additives, such as
artificial coloring4

American Academy of Child & Adolescent

Psychiatry. (n.d.). How Common is ADHD?
Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
https://www.aacap.org/
4
National Institute of Mental Health. (n.d.).
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(Easy-to-Read). Retrieved February 26, 2016,
from
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publication
s/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-
easy-to-read/index.shtml

What are the symptoms?

Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive
The child has difficulty remaining seated:
- Fidgets or squirms in chair
- May run or climb excessively
The child may exhibit difficulty participating in
activities quietly:
- Often talks excessively
- Blurts out answers to unfinished questions
or without asking permission
Finally, the child also has difficulty waiting or
taking turns:
- Often interrupts
- Intrudes upon others

Predominantly Inattentive
The child has difficulty with attention:
- Does not give close attention to details
- May make careless mistakes
- Fails to maintain attention and avoids tasks
that require it
- Does not seem to listen
- Struggles with following instructions
- Struggles with organization and often loses
things
- Is easily distracted and is forgetful in daily
activities

Children may exhibit symptoms of both forms of
ADHD. In addition, symptoms may change over
time, so children may fit under different
categories at different times.3

What might a child

experience in a school
setting?

Support

Classroom accommodations or
services may be available to students
diagnosed with ADHD if the disorder
has a negative impact on academic,
social, or behavioral performance at
school.6
One such accomodation is an
Individualized Education Program, or
IEP. An IEP is a plan that describes a
students problems and delineates a
specific course of action to address
these problems. For instance, a
student with an IEP can receive
extended time on a test.7

Informational Websites:
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Locational Resources:
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CHADD, National Resource on ADHD. (n.d.).

Education. Retrieved February 26, 2016, from
http://www.chadd.org/Advocacy/Education.as
px
7
Slavin, R. E. (2015). Educational Psychology
Theory and Practice. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Pearson Education.
Picture: Hoshinosuna Bega, F.M. August, 2014.
Memories of summer, flickr.com

ADDvance: Answers to Your

Questions about ADD (ADHD),
addvance.com
ADHD Coaches Organization,
adhdcoaches.org American
Academy of Child and
Adolescent Psychiatry,
aacap.org
CHADD: The National
Resource for ADHD, chadd.org
NIH: National Institute of
Mental Health, nimh.nih.gov
Learning Disabilities
Association of America,
ldaamerica.org

Center for Parent Information

and Resources,
parentcenterhub.org
Soar: ADHD Summer Camp,
Academy, and Gap Year,
soarnc.org