What Are The Symptoms Of Attention Deficit Disorder And How Are They Different From Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Over the last several years, there has been much written and reported about attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It's easy to understand why so many people are confused as to what each one is and what the difference is between the two. Many people are left asking what are the symptoms of attention deficit disorder, and how are they different from the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? This article will provide you with some answers to both of these questions.
Attention Deficit Disorder
What are the symptoms of attention deficit disorder? There are several. They typically fall into one of two different groups - inattention and hyperactivity. The inattention will manifest itself as an inability to focus or concentrate on anything for any length of time. In addition to this, a child will show a general lack of interest in many things. The child may also be overly shy or withdrawn as well. Another symptom is that they are often easily distracted from the task at hand.
This condition is also characterized by behavior that could be considered hyperactive. This would include restlessness, impulsive behavior, disobedience, constant talking, and others. This group of symptoms is also the cause of much confusion when asked what are the symptoms of attention deficit disorder.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
This is where a lot of the confusion begins as far as what are the symptoms of attention deficit disorder, and how they differ from those of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These two conditions are very closely related, making it very difficult, in some cases, to make an accurate diagnosis. This is despite the fact that the symptoms are fairly easily recognized.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has many of the same symptoms of attention deficit disorder. The difference in what are the symptoms of attention deficit disorder and what are the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is in which type of symptom is more dominant. This means, of the symptoms displayed, how many fall into each of the two categories - inattention or hyperactivity.
If the child displays more symptoms of the inattention type, this will commonly be diagnosed as attention deficit disorder, even though some hyperactive behavior is present. On the other hand, if the child's behavior leans more toward the hyperactive side, a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder will probably be made. As you can see, even when you have a decent knowledge of each condition, it can still be confusing. This is why these two conditions are often so difficult to diagnose and treat.