Typical ADHD Profiles

Inattention

The inattentive child does not listen carefully to teaching or instructions and frequently is unsure of what to do. She often does not read instructions carefully and consequently fails to satisfy the requirements of the task.

She lacks task persistence especially with tasks which appear to demand sustained effort. Frequently such tasks are avoided or she procrastinates instead of getting started. She becomes bored and is easily distracted. Once distracted, she is less likely than most to return to the task.

She is likely to waste time daydreaming.

She is very disorganised and is unable to manage time effectively. She cannot estimate how long a task will take and often begins a task at the very last minute. She is often late for appointments.

Typical comments on her school report cards are those than infer laziness such as "Could do better if she tried", "Needs to organize herself", or "Not working to capacity".

Hyperactivity

The hyperactive child constantly has some muscles in motion. In extreme cases, he is constantly moving around the room, climbing over furniture, or jumping around. However, most hyperactive children do not conform to this extreme pattern.

Most hyperactive children constantly move their arms and/or legs. They may be observed wriggling and squirming in their places or standing up and sitting down. They may tap the desk, or rub their hands over surfaces or fiddle with objects.

Frequently hyperactive children are orally very active. If they are not talking - either to themselves or to others - they often sing, hum, whistle, or make vocal noises.

They always appear to be restless. When playing, they tend to be more boisterous and noisier than their peers. They frequently have difficulty in stopping one activity and starting another.

Impulsivity

The impulsive child cannot wait for the appropriate time to make a response, and cannot wait until consequences have been considered before responding. Consequently they interrupt others without meaning to be rude and call out answers in class without waiting for their turn. They often make their responses before they have heard the whole of the instructions and are often wrong as a result.

Impulsive children often say or do things without thinking of the consequences. Hence they are often considered tactless and inconsiderate. They seem to be unable to anticipate the reactions of others. Consequently, social interactions are often affected and such children may have few friends. They may also be the victims of bullying.

Because impulsive children often act without thinking of the consequences, they are often "set up" by their peers to do or say something that will get them into trouble with teachers or parents.

They are impatient and cannot wait for long term rewards. Consequently, they may appear to be unmotivated. Frequent short-term rewards are usually much more effective with these children.

Because they act without thought of consequences, they engage in risk-taking behaviour wherein they risk injury to themselves or others. In fact, many impulsive children seem to actively seek out risky activities since they thrive on the excitement. They fail to benefit from previous experience, and appear to make decisions based on emotion rather than on reason.

It should be noted that there are some children who may be extremely impulsive but who do not have ADHD. Their impulsivity may be due to other factors such as anxiety or certainty of failure, or they may just be naturally impulsive.

CAUTION

Children with ADHD can often control the symptoms of the disorder for a short time if they are sufficiently motivated. For example, they can often concentrate on computer games for long periods, and they can even get some school work completed if sufficiently motivated. This has the advantage of allowing them to complete tasks; but it is a disadvantage in that parents or teachers regard their usual lack of performance as evidence of laziness. Because it takes greater effort for children with ADHD to remain focussed on a task, it is more tiring and they cannot keep up this performance for as long as their peers.

The fact that a child can override the symptoms of ADHD for a short time should not be accepted as evidence that such a diagnosis is not appropriate. It may well be.

Copyright Dr Stephen Dossel, and the ADD Association Queensland. This article may be reprinted but should not be modified in any way. Any such use should be acknowledged in the normal manner and must include the author's name and the source of the article.