Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd)
...attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most treated disorder in youth (Spencer, Biederman, & Mick, 2007). Further, in 50% of the children with ADHD, the disorder will persist into their adulthood, and it is associated with a high comorbidity of mood disorders, substance abuse disorders, and antisocial disorders (Spencer, Biederman, & Mick, 2007). Therefore, it is an important mental health issue that should be studied in depth by us students.
ADHD is a cognitive and behavioural disorder of childhood characterized by low ability to maintain attention, excessive motor activity, and extreme impulsion (Nevid, Greene, Johnson, & Taylor, 2005). It has three subtypes according to American Psychiatric Association (2000): the predominantly inattentive type, the predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, and the combined type.
Clinical features
The clinical features of ADHD vary with age and developmental stage. Infants with ADHD are often too sensitive to environmental stimuli such as light and noise. They sleep little and cry a lot. They are usually reckoned as difficult babies (Spencer, Biederman, & Mick, 2007). School-aged children with ADHD often fail to pay attention to details, do not follow through with instructions, and have trouble completing homework and chores. They may interrupt others, and blur out answers before questions were completed. They are easily provoked and irritable (Spencer, Biederman, & Mick, 2007). Because hyperactivity reduces with age, adolescents with ADHD develop more appropriate activity levels. However, they tend to have problems with organization and establishing priorities. Some teenagers engage in shoplifting, careless driving, and substance abuse (Spencer, Biederman, & Mick, 2007). Adults with ADHD display restlessness instead of hyperactivity, and tend to be disorderly and impatient. They get bored easily. They...
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