Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and giftedness are both commonly discovered during the elementary school years. These attributes often affect the type and quality of education received, setting into motion benefits or hindrances that may last a lifetime. Occasionally, a child possesses both attributes.
ADHD
ADHD is a mental health condition with symptoms of overly active behavior and difficulty focusing on tasks. Many children with the disorder are highly impulsive, which can cause classroom disruptions and difficulty maintaining good relationships with peers and adults. ADHD can make following teacher instructions challenging, causing a child to appear intellectually unable to complete a task, rather than unable to focus for more than a few minutes of time.
Giftedness
Experts differ on what constitutes giftedness in a child. It generally involves an exceptionally high level of performance, explains the National Association for Gifted Children. It may relate to intelligence, aptitude or talent. Giftedness is often defined as possessing an understanding of math or language at a level far beyond that of one's peers. A gifted child may be bored in a classroom setting that is structured for his age rather than his understanding and ability.
Similarities
Children with ADHD and giftedness may both act out in the classroom, but for different reasons. The child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has difficulty maintaining his attention on the lecture or his coursework while the gifted child may already understand the material so well she is bored, causing her attention to wander. Children with both attributes may be poorly suited to a standard classroom structure with one teacher per 20 students. Individualized instruction may yield better results. ADHD and giftedness may each cause a student to question rules and have a low tolerance for busywork that serves little purpose.
Contrasts
A child with ADHD may need extra time to learn new concepts, due to an inability to concentrate for extended periods of time, while a gifted child may pick up new ideas very quickly. A hyperactive child may receive mostly criticism and negative attention from his teacher while a gifted child in the same classroom may be the recipient of praise and positive attention.
Children With Both ADHD and Giftedness
It may take an extended period of time for parents, teachers and the child's physician to recognize that a child has both ADHD and giftedness. This may occur because the child's ADHD behaviors mask his abilities: he may have a high level of understanding in math, but be unable to sit still long enough to complete a 30-minute test, for example. At the other end of the spectrum, a child whose giftedness is recognized may possess enough emotional intelligence to mask her ADHD, realizing that it brings social difficulties upon her. While this sounds beneficial, it may prevent the child from receiving treatment to help her concentrate and feel more comfortable in the classroom.
