Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity).
ADHD has three subtypes:
- Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive
Most symptoms (six or more) are in the hyperactivity-impulsivity categories.
Fewer than six symptoms of inattention are present, although inattention may still be present to some degree. - Predominantly inattentive
The majority of symptoms (six or more) are in the inattention category and fewer than six symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present, although hyperactivity-impulsivity may still be present to some degree.
Children with this subtype are less likely to act out or have difficulties getting along with other children. They may sit quietly, but they are not paying attention to what they are doing. Therefore, the child may be overlooked, and parents and teachers may not notice that he or she has ADHD. - Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive
Six or more symptoms of inattention and six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present.
Most children have the combined type of ADHD.
Researchers are developing more effective treatments and interventions, and using new tools such as brain imaging, to better understand ADHD and to find more effective ways to treat and prevent it.
Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. It is normal for all children to be inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive sometimes, but for children with ADHD, these behaviors are more severe and occur more often. To be diagnosed with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for 6 or more months and to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age.
Children who have symptoms of inattention may:
- Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another
- Have difficulty focusing on one thing
- Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable
- Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new
- Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities
- Not seem to listen when spoken to
- Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly
- Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others
- Struggle to follow instructions.
Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity may:
- Fidget and squirm in their seats
- Talk nonstop
- Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight
- Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time
- Be constantly in motion
- Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.
Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may:
- Be very impatient
- Blurt out inappropriate comments, show their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for consequences
- Have difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games
- Often interrupt conversations or others’ activities.
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Hello I have a son suffering with ADHD he is 11. was diagnosed at 6, medication does not work I have tried a couple. please can you send a link so I can try him on meditation.
Thank you.
I’m 27. I have ADD, not ADHD. I’m beginning to think that, with my recent success in meditation, that ADD may actually help. I’ve only been meditating for about 3-4 weeks, 10-20 minutes every day. I’ve already witnessed substantial effects. I’ve experienced a love/MDMA like state. It came roughly 6 hours after having meditated for only 5 minutes. I’ve also experienced a tranquil effect after a 25 minute session (the longest I’ve meditated. The love/MDMA state comes and goes and it’s more common. I’ve only experienced tranquility once. Although the former happens much more, these moments are substantially weaker than the aforementioned, specific case. It makes me question just what ADD is. Is it really an attention deficit disorder? Maybe it depends how you look at it? Yes, it’s hard to focus on one thing, but perhaps that is because I’m very good at paying attention (albeit the attention is spread thin) to more at once?
Dear Justin,
We won`t be able to tell you exactly what ADD is, at least not me. But what we can tell you for sure is that once you start meditating you balance your attention out and therefore stabilize it in such a way that it becomes easier to focus. It becomes effortless, it really does. And that definitely gives you the ability to spread your attention, not on different things to do, but on more than yourself. The awareness that comes with practicing Sahaja Yoga allows us to spread our attention on a bigger scale, not just on us anymore. And it may therefore very well help you with ADD. I have seen many people get cured over time from various symptoms/problems/diseases by the simple fact of meditating but also develop capacities such as memory and fast learning.
Please let us know how it goes and how it evolves for you, any experience is worth sharing :).
Kind regards,
Erwan