First of all, ADD is short for Attention Deficit Disorder. ADHD is short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

ADD affects school-aged children. Inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity characterizes it. If you have ADD you don’t pay attention to certain things, or sometimes if someone is speaking to you. Sometimes you are a little more hyperactive than most other children without the disability are, but not as much as if you had ADHD.

ADHD is almost the same as ADD. You would have the lack of attention as in ADD, but you would be more hyperactive. You might feel jumpy or rushed if you have ADHD. ADHD also effects school-aged children.

• Restlessness
• Inability to sit still in situations such as school
• Less concentration time
• Slower reading and writing

*ADD might affect your school performance, but it is not definite.

*If you have ADHD, it also might effect your school performance. You could feel more rushed and pressured to get better grades, and that is normal. It is ok.

General Information About ADHD:

*ADHD usually affects school-aged children, specifically children ages 5-11.

*You would need less sleep than others without ADHD would.

*It causes inability to concentrate and sit still in class.

*It is more common in boys than in girls.

*ADHD does not affect your appearance.

*ADD affects children usually before they reach age 7.

*Characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.

*IQ tests taken by children with ADD might result in below average, average, or above average scores.

*ADD should be differentiated from mental retardation, schizophrenia, or a maniac-depressive state.

FAQ:

What causes ADD/ADHD?

ADHD and ADD are believed to be cause by a chemical imbalance in the brain. It is not caused by anything that you can help, such as eating something, or having something injected into you, that is not suppose to cause the disease.

Bad parenting skills are also not a cause of ADD/ADHD

What is the difference between ADD and ADHD?

(see top of page)

What are some symptoms of ADD/ADHD?

You might have ADD/ADHD if you:

• often fail to pay close attention to details
• often do not seem to listen if you are being spoken to
• often do not follow instructions or fail to complete school assignments
• often lose things specifically used for tasks/activities (such as toys, school assignments, pencils, etc.)
• are often forgetful in daily activities
• fidget a lot
• talk excessively
• have difficulty waiting your turn in group activities

********Note on symptoms:********

Symptoms must have been going on for 6 months or more. They usually only happen as a child, normally before the age of 7. They also must exist in 2 different settings (example: school and home).

Ways you can help:

By talking and exploring thoughts and feelings with a trained therapist, it might help ADD/ADHD patient to find better ways to handle their emotions.

In lots of cases, behavioral problems affect the whole family, not just the person with the disorder. In family therapy, the child with ADD/ADHD, his or her parents, and possibly siblings are supported emotionally, and guided to find better ways to handle disruptive behaviors and learn how to change them.

When you go to social skills training, the therapist describes and shows appropriate behaviors, such as waiting for a turn, sharing toys, asking for help, or doing something about teasing. Through acting it out, the child has an opportunity to practice these skills in a therapeutic setting.

This form of talk therapy aims to help ADD/ADHD patients find more realistic ways to change their behavior so they can better deal with current problems.

***There are also medical ways to help a child with ADD/ADHD deal with the problems they face in every day life.***

**Sometimes more than one method is needed to help children with their problems. **

Online Sources:

CHADD- Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

http://www.chadd.org 

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