The difference between attention deficit disorder in children and ADHD

Many parents face problems related to their children's academic achievement and their ability to absorb lessons well. This may be due to lack of concentration or difficulty paying attention in children, etc. These problems affect not only academic performance and achievement, but also have an impact on the child's social life and his relationship with his friends and peers at school and family. In this article, we discuss the problems of attention difficulties in children and the difference between them and ADHD.

What is attention deficit disorder in children? What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Difficulty in attention in children is known as lack of concentration and difficulty in organizing, inability to complete required activities effectively, lack of attention to tasks required of him directly, as well as frequent forgetfulness and lack of attention to details.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) is a disorder that occurs in children that causes lack and difficulty in concentration, inability to control some actions, and inattention to some behaviors. It is also characterized by the appearance of hyperactivity in some children who suffer from this problem, but not all of them. Thus, the symptoms of this problem are either hyperactivity or inattention, or both.

What is the difference between attention deficit disorder in children and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?

Attention deficit disorder in children has been classified as a type of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder since 1994. The types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are divided as follows:

• Attention deficit disorder, which is characterized by the appearance of various symptoms of attention difficulties, which are as follows:
• Lack of concentration, and inability to complete required tasks correctly.
• Frequent forgetfulness.
• Not paying attention and not listening to the commands required of him.
• Inability to concentrate on required activities.
• Easily distracted, inability to complete tasks that require high mental effort.
• Hyperactivity, which is characterized by the following symptoms:
• Excessive movement, and inability to remain still for a long time.
• Talking a lot, interrupting others when they are talking, and not being able to hear well.
• Inability to be patient while waiting for things for a long time, such as waiting in line or the like.
• He cannot participate in the activities that others do.
• The third type of ADHD combines characteristics of the previous two types.

An affected child may have characteristics of one of these types, or may have characteristics of both of the previous types to have all the symptoms of this syndrome.

Diagnosis of attention difficulties (ADHD type 1)

Attention deficit disorder and its specific type in this syndrome are diagnosed by examining some behaviors identified by the Centers for Disease Control in the United States of America. A child is diagnosed with this syndrome if the child is under 16 years old and has 6 or more of these behaviors, or if he is 16 years old or older and has 5 or more of these behaviors, for 6 consecutive months. These behaviors are as follows:

• Difficulty in paying attention, and easy distraction. The child also faces difficulties in paying attention in the classroom and at home, especially when given orders.
• Unwillingness to engage in mental activities that require prolonged mental effort, such as solving school assignments or doing required homework.
• Inability to stay engaged in the same activity for a long time.
• Lack of organization in different aspects of his life.
• Frequent forgetfulness and frequent loss of various personal belongings.
• He does not pay attention to details, especially fine details.
• He usually makes a lot of mistakes due to lack of concentration and forgetfulness.
• He cannot hear others talking to him for long periods of time, and may interrupt others and start talking.
• He does not show much cooperation or listening to instructions given to him, and he may not respond to orders easily and always wants to disobey the orders given to him.

How to Diagnose ADHD Type 2 (Hyperactivity)

As mentioned earlier, the second type of ADHD is diagnosed in the same way as the first type, according to the presence of behavioral symptoms, in the event that 6 or more of the aforementioned behaviors are present in a child under 16 years of age, or 5 or more of the aforementioned behaviors are present in a child who is 16 years of age or older, with these behaviors present for 6 consecutive months, and these behaviors are as follows:

• Talking a lot and interrupting others a lot when they are talking.
• Impatience, inability to wait.
• Unable to play quietly, just wants to play with a lot of movement.
• He is always ready to move and leave the place at inappropriate times.
• He cannot sit still for long periods of time, which is most evident in the classroom and when doing homework.
• Excessive movements such as running and climbing, even at inappropriate times.
• Feeling impatient when sitting for a long time, this appears in the child in the form of restlessness, confusion and excessive movement.

Treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children is done through two methods of treatment: behavioral therapy and drug therapy. The doctor may prescribe some types of treatment in some cases with different doses depending on the condition. The doctor also gives some behavioral therapy sessions that can replace the child’s wrong behaviors with correct behaviors, exploit his strengths and help him develop them.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), both inattentive and hyperactive, are behavioral disorders that are very common in children today. However, they require early diagnosis, followed by early behavioral and drug therapy to help the child reach the best educational and social level he or she can.