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Abnormally high hyperactivity levels in children (and adults as well) can sometimes be a symptom of a condition known as Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. With time, this term has become a way to understand something that used to be known as simple hyperactivity or misbehavior in the “old days”. Many people interchange this term with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), which isn’t far off the mark, but refers to other symptoms as well.

Affecting between five and twenty percent of children, ADD is not specifically a childhood problem, as many children who suffer with this disorder continue to have problems well into their adult years. The symptoms of adult ADD, however, are generally not as marked as during childhood-- generally because the sufferer has learned to cope with their disorder over time. Boys are usually affected ten times more often than girls.

Some typical behaviors associated with Attention Deficit Disorder can include:

- Having trouble concentrating on school work
- Being easily distracted when working on a task
- Easily forgetting simple instructions for tasks
- Daydreaming frequently
- Rarely finishing tasks assigned
- A marked rise in impulsive or unpredictable behavior
- An inability to sit still for a period of time
- A constant need to have the attention of others

The persistence of any of these symptoms may be cause to consult with your family doctor about ADD testing. This condition has now been shown to be a hereditary condition, caused by a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters within the brain. These chemicals are responsible for sending messages around the brain and they essentially control how we function and behave.

The treatment of ADD calls for a “team” approach in order to handle it properly. Parents, health professionals, and sometimes psychological and speech professionals must all work together to help a child or adult with ADD learn to function better. Having a plan that allows for a consistent and stable approach to the problem will help the child most. Strict discipline is not the answer, as the child has done nothing wrong. The behavior of the child should never be thought of as deliberate or willful with this disorder.

Getting the child to handle small tasks and offering frequent praise for any positive actions is reassuring and helpful to the child. Try to avoid having too many parts to the task required of the child. Simple and easy-to-accomplish tasks will work best. Writing down the details of the task or even having the child do this is always helpful and allows them to focus on the task at hand.

Having the child repeat back what you ask them to do is not only a way to check that they understand the request, but also allows them to focus on what they should be doing.

Trying to always have eye-to-eye contact with the child will force a focus on the task being requested. You can set a specified time for the child to have the task completed and always remember to praise every positive aspect of the child’s behavior. Encourage the child to find a quiet area in which to try and accomplish small, manageable tasks. This will help him or her to focus on what needs to be done. Teach the child how to store their favorite items (such as toys and games), in areas where they’ll be safe and always in the same place. This will help to provide a consistency to their personal corner of the world.