Attention-deficit disorder, or ADD, affects millions of children, according to MayoClinic.com. In fact, on average at least one child in every classroom in the United States has ADD, says the University of Maryland Medical Center. Children with ADD have difficulty paying attention, carrying out assigned tasks and often make careless mistakes. ADD can also impact their social lives, making it difficult for them to make social connections with other peers and adults.
Background and Statistics
ADD is a complex disorder that is treatable, but not curable. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, about 4 to 6 percent of the general population has ADD, with the incidence in boys being two to three times that of girls. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that ADD often develops during childhood and continues into adolescence and adulthood, causing a lifetime of physical and emotional adjustments.
Development
Although the exact reason for ADD development is still unknown, researchers suggest it involves inherited traits. MayoClinic.com states researchers believe one in four children with ADD have at least one relative with the disorder. Researchers have also found via brain scans that individuals with ADD have differences in brain structure and activity compared to those without the disorder. The brain scans of ADD individuals appear to have less activity in the areas of brain that control activity and attention.
Noticeable Signs
Children with ADD often neglect to pay attention to detail and make careless mistakes in their schoolwork and other activities, according to MayoClinic.com. Children may also have difficulty sustaining attention during tasks or play. They often have difficulty following instructions and do not listen even when directly spoken to. Therefore, children with ADD are more likely to fail at schoolwork, chores and other tasks. ADD children often verbally make it known they dislike schoolwork or homework due to the sustained mental effort it requires. Other noticeable signs of ADD include children being easily distracted and forgetful, according to MayoClinic.com.
Social Struggles
Children with ADD tend to struggle in the classroom, making it difficult for them to pass their current grade level, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Their ADD may cause social struggles in which they are continuously ignored and teased by other children and adults. Therefore children with ADD may have trouble interacting with other peers and adults. Additionally, due to their inability to pay attention to detail, they're more likely to have accidents and injuries of all kinds compared to children who do not have this disorder, according to MayoClinic.com.
Diagnosis
Parents should take their child for evaluation if they notice inattentiveness occurring both at home and school that has lasted six months or more, according to MayoClinic.com. If the child regularly disrupts and causes problems during school, play and other daily activities, a doctor should be consulted. MayoClinic.com states that when a physician evaluates a child for ADD, he will use a behavior-rating system to indicate the type and severity of symptoms, as well as screen for learning and emotional problems.
