Understanding ADD - What is Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)?
Attention is the brain's ability to focus on sensory information. In a classroom, the brain processes information such as a teacher's words, music, and written text. The brain also processes less apparent information such as the sensation of clothing on one's skin, the temperature in the room, and the sound and feeling of breathing. An attention deficit disorder exists when the brain cannot maintain focus on important information. It cannot filter out unimportant information, prioritize important information, and control impulsive behaviors and thoughts.
Attention Deficit Disorder Symptoms - How Do People with Attention Deficit Disorder Feel?
People with attention deficits have a range of different experiences. They may have some or all of these example symptoms to varying degrees:
- Inability to filter out unimportant sounds such as a car driving past an open window, the sound of a central air unit, or the scratching of a pencil writing on paper;
- Inability to attend to important information, such as teachers' instructions.
- Difficulty gleaning the meaning from spoken information;
- Problems discerning and recalling important words and phrases;
- Difficulty recalling instructions for an assignment;
- Inability to focus on visual information;
- Hypersensitivity to pulsing fluorescent light, inability to ignore unimportant visual information;
- Feeling overwhelmed by large amounts of written information in textbooks or classroom assignments with many directions or problems to solve.
- Tactile defensiveness. This means they are overly sensitive to physical sensations such as the feeling of clothing tags against their skin or a breeze blowing their hair. Sensations such as these can range from mildly distracting to irritating.
- High levels of olfactory sensitivity can also be a problem for some ADD students. They may detect smells that other students do not smell because they cannot filter out or ignore them. They may find smells distracting or offensive.
Attention Deficits and Behavior - Common Behavior Problems in Attention Deficit Disorder
Social skills and behavior problems may also occur. Students may have difficulty with:
- Interacting with others. Their inattention and impulsivity can affect their ability to follow rules and routines and respond appropriately to peers and adults who talk to them, causing conflicts and misunderstandings.
- Significant behavioral problems. Their impulsivity can cause accidents, causing injury to themselves or others.
- Hyperactivity places these students at higher risk for disciplinary actions in schools. They are more likely than their peers to be disciplined, suspended, and expelled.
- ADD students without hyperactivity may fail to comply with teacher requests, complete their work, or may have low academic performance.
- Making and keeping friends many be difficult for them.
- Academically, ADD and ADHD students are at risk for poor grades and school failure.
- In some cases, these students also have learning disabilities. It is common for children with ADD or ADHD to have handwriting weaknesses.
What causes ADD and ADHD?
Current brain researchers theorize that attention disorders are caused by limitations in the brain's ability to manage information. In typical people, the brain's frontal lobe manages incoming information from our sensory organs and organizes it. The frontal lobe maintains balance among all other brain functions and helps us think about and remember important information. In ADD and ADHD, it is believed that the frontal lobe does not function as efficiently as it does in people without attention disorders.
How is Attention Deficit Disorder Treated?
Treatment varies, depending on severity and how the disorder affects the person's life. In moderate to severe cases, parents and physicians may decide to use stimulant medication. It is believed that stimulant medication works by heightening the efficiency of the frontal lobe. This enables the brain to manage impulses and information and results in a decrease in inattention and hyperactivity.
The decision to use medication must be made based on consultation with a physician and evaluation data. If parents choose medication, it is necessary for the physician to regularly monitor its use. Medication can affect growth and appetite and have other negative side effects. Doctors may recommend trying behavioral interventions before beginning medication therapy.
When medication is used, parents and educators should consider using behavioral and social skill interventions as well. These interventions should teach students organizational skills such as using a planner and social skills to improve interaction with peers. Students may need special education and occupational therapy for fine motor skill and sensory problems.
What to do if You Suspect ADD or ADHD
Contact your school's psychologist and speak with your child's doctor. They can assist you with evaluating your child and determining appropriate treatment. For parent support, seek out organizations such as the local chapter of Children with Attention Deficit Disorders (CHADD).
