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Different Types Of ADHD

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Symptoms

The primary features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood.

ADHD occurs more often in males than in females, and behaviors can be different in boys and girls. For example, boys may be more hyperactive and girls may tend to be quietly inattentive.

There are three subtypes of ADHD:

Predominantly inattentive. The majority of symptoms fall under inattention.
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive. The majority of symptoms are hyperactive and impulsive.
Combined. The most common type in the …show more content…

ADHD

Most healthy children are inattentive, hyperactive or impulsive at one time or another. It's normal for preschoolers to have short attention spans and be unable to stick with one activity for long. Even in older children and teenagers, attention span often depends on the level of interest.

The same is true of hyperactivity. Young children are naturally energetic — they often are still full of energy long after they've worn their parents out. In addition, some children just naturally have a higher activity level than others do. Children should never be classified as having ADHD just because they're different from their friends or siblings.

Children who have problems in school but get along well at home or with friends are likely struggling with something other than ADHD. The same is true of children who are hyperactive or inattentive at home, but whose schoolwork and friendships remain unaffected.

When to see a …show more content…

Many issues in childhood can lead to difficulty sustaining attention, but that's not the same as ADHD.

Complications

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can make life difficult for children. Children with ADHD:

Often struggle in the classroom, which can lead to academic failure and judgment by other children and adults
Tend to have more accidents and injuries of all kinds than do children who don't have ADHD
Tend to have poor self-esteem
Are more likely to have trouble interacting with and being accepted by peers and adults
Are at increased risk of alcohol and drug abuse and other delinquent behavior
Coexisting conditions

ADHD doesn't cause other psychological or developmental problems. However, children with ADHD are more likely than others to also have conditions such as:

Learning disabilities, including problems with understanding and communicating
Anxiety disorders, which may cause overwhelming worry, nervousness
Depression, which frequently occurs in children with

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