Introduction.
Attention deficit disorder is a developmental disorder. Affected children have great difficulty in directing their attention to appropriate details; they have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activity; they often do not listen when spoken to, and do not follow through on instructions. Such children have difficulty organising tasks and activity, and are very distractible. In addition, they are often fidgety and restless, and even have difficulty in engaging in leisure and pleasure activities appropriately. Such children are often impulsive, and interrupting and intrusive towards others.
Attention deficit disorder may be associated with mental retardation and epilepsy. Its presence in children greatly increases the likelihood of behaviour disorder occurring, as such children are difficult to manage and direct appropriately. It is important to note that there are drug treatments for attention deficit disorder, which are highly effective for many children. Information as to whether a child is being treated for their disorder, and the effectiveness of the treatment, should be sought. The symptoms of attention deficit disorder usually lessen gradually, even without medication, and by their second decade such children usually have better attention and less impulsivity.
The diagnosis of attention deficit disorder should be made by a specialist (paediatrician, child psychiatrist, or psychologist). It is not sufficient to accept the parents' own diagnosis of their child as having attention deficit disorder. Specialists vary widely in their readiness to diagnose this disorder, with some reluctant to diagnose it at all, and others using a very low threshold indeed for diagnosis. It is the overall picture of need in the individual case, rather than the specific diagnosis which is important.
Care Needs
Children with attention deficit disorder may require more supervision than normal children, though if within the normal range of IQ, their extra needs should not be marked. Night needs of children with attention deficit disorder are unlikely to be great; such children often sleep well.
The overactivity, distractibility and impulsivity of these children may put them at risk from traffic when outside the home, and they may require some extra oversight, particularly in their earlier years.
Further Evidence.
One would expect a specialist to be involved with such a child, and a report should be obtained from such a person. In addition, a report from school or nursery should provide useful information about care and mobility needs. Because of the variation of the frequency of diagnosis depending on the particular specialist involved advice from a Medical Services doctor may be helpful in clarifying whether the child is suffering from a severe physical or mental disability.
