There's a tendency to blame the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in children on poor parenting. There's also a tendency to equate the symptoms of adult ADHD with moral weakness or a character flaw. Misinterpreting the cluster of signs and symptoms that make up this debilitating condition can prevent ADHD victims from seeking treatment that can alleviate symptoms and aid them in finding a rewarding life. It is important to distinguish whether the symptoms manifested are indeed the result of ADHD or possibly some other treatable disorder.
Inattentiveness
The inability to focus attention on the task at hand characterizes the form of ADHD known as predominantly inattentive type, according to the CDC. In children, this aspect of ADHD results in the tendency to be easily distracted at school, to lose objects such as books and toys, and to appear distant and non-responsive when spoken to.
The Mayo Clinic states that adults who have ADHD inevitably had the condition as children, even if it went undiagnosed. The symptoms of inattentiveness carry on through their adult years, manifesting as an inability to concentrate, difficulty staying focused during conversations and failure to finish tasks or follow through with instructions.
Hyperactivity
Children who have predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD find it hard to stay seated. They fidget, cannot wait their turn and blurt out answers in the classroom, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Adults with this form of ADHD may seem overly driven and always active. They act impulsively, can have mood swings and hot tempers, and often engage in dangerous activities. Their condition leads to the inability to maintain stable relationships, and addiction rates are higher among adults with ADHD.
Inattentiveness and Hyperactivity Combined
In some children and adults with ADHD, the symptoms of both of the previous types are present in equal degrees. This is known as combined type ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD are often detected by identifying patterns of social and work-related dysfunction. According to the CDC, children who experience school-related failures and who manifest social aggressiveness that causes them to be rejected by their peers may not be simply rebellious kids, but rather children with a treatable medical condition. Adults with ADHD may find they are unable to maintain stable relationships and steady employment. It is important to note that ADHD is not diagnosed by occasional occurrences of any of the symptoms described but rather by long-term identifiable patterns of inattentiveness and hyperactivity that lead to destructive consequences in the subject's life.
