AD/HD Starts in Childhood
Three Characteristics Hyperactivity Impulsivity and Distractibility
A hyperactive, impulsive, and easily distracted child is often diagnosed AD/HD. AD/HD children are highly creative, not lazy. AD/HD can be a positive thing. Find out how.
AD/HD is a condition that starts in childhood and affects a person for the rest of his or her life. We now know that a child does not outgrow AD/HD as was once believed many years ago. AD/HD is a biological and neurological based disorder affecting how one’s brain responds to external and internal stimulus. Exactly what causes AD/HD is still widely unknown. There are three main characteristics present in children diagnosed with AD/HD: these are hyperactivity, impulsivity, and distractibility.
Hyperactivity
The hyperactive child is essentially always in motion. Hyperactivity exhibits itself in many different scenarios such as the child who is fidgety, squirmy, cannot stand or sit still, constantly running, inappropriately climbing on furniture, constantly talking out of turn or interrupting others, is physical restless, has the bouncing leg, or blurts out the answer constantly without waiting for his or her turn. Children with AD/HD have great difficulty self-regulating and self-controlling their impulses and behavior.
Impulsivity
Impulsivity is more associated with irritability and risk-taking behaviors. Impulsive behavior is especially dangerous for young males from age 12 through the early twenties when the risk taking behavior is often fronted with peer pressure and the trials of illicit drug and alcohol use. In true impulsivity, as seen in an AD/HD diagnosis, the child or teen is unable to stop and think before acting on the behavior. In AD/HD, impulsivity is not a conscious choice but more of a reaction. Impulsivity often shows itself in difficulties establishing peer relationships. One is often quick to anger, and easily agitated or frustrated by peers.
Distractibility
Distractibility, also called inattentiveness, means one has difficulty staying focused, is disorganized, forgetful, does not always follow instructions, or is easily distracted. This is especially true regarding mundane tasks the child finds boring. The AD/HD child when bored will often rush through his or her work. This can lead to careless mistakes. Ironically, AD/HD children can easily multi-task, which means do multiple things at one time when it is something he or she enjoys. This ability to multi-task often confuses the non-AD/HD person or parents who feel the AD/HD child is at times choosing to be “lazy.” This is a myth; the AD/HD person is not lazy, simply because he or she can focus for hours on a fast moving video game, but is bored reading a school book.
The Upside
Although the AD/HD child is often impulsive, hyperactive, and distractible, these are not always downfalls. By knowing a child's characteristics, the AD/HD child may simply need to have some classroom adjustments made to allow for his or her AD/HD personality. In other words, allowing the child to use his or her characteristics positively will benefit the student and the class. For instance, for the extremely hyperactive student, use the child to run errands for the teacher, taking lunch money to the office and passing out worksheets. This way he or she can be up and moving around. AD/HD people are usually very bright and highly creative. AD/HD people tend to problem-solve or think outside the box. Finally, if one is easily distracted he or she might consider having the child's desk away from classroom doors and away from the teacher's desk, two of the busiest traffic areas in the room.
As A Final Thought
Adults often view an AD/HD diagnosis as something negative. However, working with the characteristics often seen in AD/HD anyone can master the basic characteristics especially when education begins early. Yes, there are some down sides to AD/HD, yet there are also many upsides. AD/HD does not have to rule a child's life. With consistent guidelines and a regular schedule, most children do well and become responsible AD/HD Adults.
