Adhd
...often make them unavailable for
learning. (Fowler, 1992, p. 19)
What is Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
ADHD is a condition that affects both children and adults from all cultural, racial and socioeconomic groups, from all levels of intelligence and from both gender groups (Smith, Polloway, Patton, Dowdy & Heath, 2001; Gaub & Carlson, 1997; and Web 3). According to the DSM-IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, three core symptoms of ADHD include: inattention (i.e. lack of focused attention); hyperactivity (i.e. restlessness); and impulsivity (i.e. a general lack of self-control) (Smith, Polloway, Patton, Dowdy & Heath, 2001). To be considered ADHD, the symptoms must be present before the age of seven, persist for at least six months and be inconsistent with a child’s developmental level. ADHD is the most common psychiatric disorder among children in North America, affecting between 1 to 14 percent of school-age children in Canada (Taylor, 2001 and Web 3). It is interesting to note that the greater reported incidence of ADHD in boys has been explained by the fact that girls with ADHD show evidence of fewer problems than boys, i.e. they exhibit lower rates of hyperactivity compared to boys. (Flick, 1998)
ADHD is diagnosed by applying the criteria found in the DSM-IV and this diagnostic tool also assists in identifying the ADHD subgroup. The four subgroups of ADHD are:
1) predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type; 2) predominantly inattentive type; 3) combined type; and 4) not otherwise specified type (Flick, 1998 and Smith, Polloway, Patton, Dowdy, Heath, 2001).
Neuroanatomical studies have shown that the brains of children suffering from ADHD are characterized by smaller anterior frontal areas and a lack of asymmetry in parts of the basal ganglia (caudate and globus pallidus) (Flick, 1998) In children who do...
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