Five-year-old Billy comes unglued when he watches "The Three Stooges" on television. He bounces on his knees in front of the television, wildly flails his arms and bursts into uncontrollable laughter. Nothing his parents say or do will stop Billy, except to physically restrain him or turn off the television.
In the locker room of his Learn-to-Swim class, eight-year-old Tommy gets so excited by the noise and actions of other students that he runs around crying helplessly and is unable to focus on showering and dressing. The other students make fun of Tommy until the swimming instructor intervenes.
When 13-year-old Joey enters the office of his school guidance counselor, he impulsively jumps up, grabs the top of the office door and swings back and forth like a monkey. The guidance counselor spends the entire counseling session trying to calm Joey so that he can return to class.
These are a few examples of how Attention-Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) children can behave. ADHD is a common problem in children and has been a source of controversy for nearly 50 years. Some experts believe that ADHD is merely a mixture of symptoms used to describe "bratty" children. Other experts contend that it is a medical syndrome. Furthermore, some research studies claim that as high as 10% of all American children show signs of ADHD, while other research studies argue that between 3% and 5% is a more accurate range. These discrepancies exist because diagnosis of ADHD is difficult. No laboratory test or study can scientifically identify ADHD in children. Therefore, parents, teachers and other professionals must make their own diagnoses based upon observations of a child's behavior over time.
It is not surprising, then, that ADHD has become one of the most discussed childhood behavioral disorders. These children have ongoing periods of excitability, impulsivity and motor activity. Because of their behaviors, ADHD children often become the focus of negative attention. An ADHD child's life adjustment can be influenced dramatically by how others view the problem and how the child views him or herself.
This publication is a guide to identifying, coping with, managing and teaching ADHD children. It is our hope that the information herein contained will help parents, educators and other professionals to understand the many aspects of ADHD and the many ways they can help ADHD children control or overcome their behaviors.
