Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder
What is ADHD?
ADHD may present in a number of ways. Most people are familiar with the hyperactive symptoms but it is important to also know about innattentive and compbined types.
- Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: It is hard for the individual to organize or finish a task, to pay attention to details, or to follow instructions or conversations. The person is easily distracted or forgets details of daily routines.
- Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: The person fidgets and talks a lot. It is hard to sit still for long (e.g., for a meal or while doing homework). Smaller children may run, jump or climb constantly. The individual feels restless and has trouble with impulsivity. Someone who is impulsive may interrupt others a lot, grab things from people, or speak at inappropriate times. It is hard for the person to wait their turn or listen to directions. A person with impulsiveness may have more accidents and injuries than others.
- Combined Presentation: Symptoms of the above two types are equally present in the person.
Symptoms of ADHD are also the same as a number of other mental and physcial health concerns. Most prominent of these other concerns is anxiety and stress which present in very similar ways as ADHD but shoudl be treated differently
Assessments for ADHD
Canyon staff use the Vanderbilt ADHD Diagnostic Rating Scale (VADRS) for screening and monitoring concerns with attention and hyperactivity. It is important to note that these resources are for screening purposes and do not provide diagnostic information. A positive score on a screen suggests further assessment by a trained professional.
Online Scale for parents
Printable Scales for Parents and Teachers
Treatments for ADHD
Treatment for ADHD generally consists of behavioral modification or mediaction management.