| Place the palm of your hand over your forehead. The | | | | children. Often, as an individual ages s/he learns coping |
| area behind the palm is the frontal lobe of your brain. It | | | | strategies to deal with problems of the disorder. Also, |
| houses executive function which is similar to the | | | | the behaviours of ADHD can present as ones that are |
| principal of a school setting the direction for the body | | | | valued in society at times. For example, excitement, |
| and telling it how to behave. According to research, | | | | eagerness and charisma are traits that employers will |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is | | | | hire in the hopes of having an enthusiastic employee. |
| associated with abnormalities in the white and gray | | | | One of my psychology supervisors told me about an |
| matter of this area of the brain. | | | | individual who was so appealing to prospective |
| Some studies claim that 3-10% of children and 1-6% of | | | | employers that he could easily convince them to hire |
| adults are diagnosed with a type of ADHD. Boys are | | | | him. He was easily bored and did not have the ability to |
| 3 times more likely than girls to have this disorder. | | | | be interested in the work for the long-term and |
| Years ago, individuals were diagnosed with Attention | | | | therefore would quit the jobs after a few weeks. He |
| Deficit Disorder (ADD). The Diagnostic and Statistical | | | | had 26 jobs in one year's time. |
| Manual IV-TR, which is published by the American | | | | Dr. Russell A. Barkley, of the University of |
| Psychiatric Association, however, has now identified | | | | Massachusetts Medical Center is an expert in this field. |
| criteria for three types of Attention Deficit | | | | He refers to ADHD as "time blindness" meaning that |
| Hyperactivity Disorder. | | | | the individual does not have any natural internal sense |
| Inattentive type refers to difficulty with focusing and | | | | of time. S/he therefore tends to feel that life is moving |
| concentration. Those who meet these criteria can be | | | | too slowly. Because of the inability to understand and |
| distracted easily from their work and tend to not be | | | | measure time, when asked to do a task the individual |
| able to finish a task without cues from others. | | | | may either not finish within the time frame or make |
| Those meeting criteria for Hyperactivity type often are | | | | many mistakes because they rushed through it. |
| in trouble at home, school or in society. Their | | | | ADHD can be treated with medication, natural |
| behaviours can be high risk, compulsive, impulsive, loud | | | | products and/or development of strategies to |
| and action filled. They can result in consequences | | | | overcome challenges. Teachers and parents will |
| involving visits to the principal's office or time-out | | | | benefit from learning about AHDH symptoms, |
| situations or even involvement with the police and | | | | enhancing the child's environment and assisting the child |
| court systems. | | | | with self-management techniques. |
| Combined type refers to a disorder with both | | | | Clinical psychologists are trained to work with |
| inattentive and hyperactive aspects. Individuals with this | | | | individuals who have ADHD. Although many in our |
| diagnosis are very active and also have problems with | | | | society consider ADHD to be a disability, psychologists |
| attention. They generally do not do very well in the | | | | can help the client to realize that it can also be viewed |
| school setting and life can be very difficult for them | | | | and valued as a gift! |
| academically and socially. | | | | It is not what we have that matters as much as what |
| Adult ADHD is not usually as recognized as it is in | | | | we do with it! |