Physicians often use a standard attention disorder checklist of characteristics to determine if a child has attention deficit disorder (ADD). ADD is a disruptive neurobiological illness that can occur in early childhood. Studies show that a large percentage of children labeled with ADD carry the symptoms through their adult lives. The exact cause of ADD is not known for sure. Studies point to many reasons such as genetic disorders, nutrition deficiencies, mother's pregnancy problems, and neuro-chemical imbalances.
ADD symptoms appear in many forms. No two children display the same symptoms, which makes diagnosis difficult. The most common symptoms include aggressive behavior, constant activity, easy distractibility, impulsiveness and /or the inability to concentrate. The American Psychiatric Association has developed an attention disorder checklist that lists fourteen symptoms of ADD/ADHD, of which at least eight symptoms should be present in a child for him to be officially diagnosed with attention deficit disorder.
A child who suffers from ADD always appears to be in movement. He dashes around, wiggles, squirms, fidgets, and talks nonstop. These characteristics may present him with difficulty participating in calm activities such as reading. In general, symptoms of attention deficit disorder can be put into three specific categories: inattentive type (classic ADD), hyperactive/impulsive type (classic ADHD), and combined type (a combination of inattentive and hyperactive). Boys and girls with this disorder tend to behave differently. Though both genders are normally hypersensitive to sight, sounds, and physical stimuli, boys seem to be more hyperactive and girls more inattentive.
Physicians have to consider certain important factors before reaching an ADHD diagnosis. They should study the symptoms of ADD present in two or more settings such as school and home. You must be aware of the fact that a number of mental and medical conditions also mimic symptoms of ADD.
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