ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER
(ADD)

(formerly referred to as ADHD)

ADD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, which is frequently misunderstood and under-diagnosed. It affects the brain’s executive functioning, which controls an individual’s ability to concentrate and self-regulate behaviours.

Students in preschool to Grade 2 may:

have difficulty following directions, like “put on your backpack”
fidget, move around or talk during quiet activities
try to do things too quickly and without care/attention (like writing a word or pouring cereal into a bowl)
take things without permission
have difficulties remembering things the teacher just taught or said, have a low working memory
demonstrate disproportionate emotional responses to minor issues.

Students in Grade 3 - 7 may exhibit:

procrastination
rushing through schoolwork
submission of messy work with careless mistakes
slower rate of work and/or not finishing in a reasonable amount of time
attention-seeking behaviours
restlessness during excursions if they’re not very interesting
impulsive behaviours
difficulties following directions with more than one step.

Teenagers and adults may experience:

trouble setting priorities, affecting completion of tasks
forgetting to write down assignments or keep track of deadlines
“zoning out” and needing to re-read information or ask people to repeat what they’ve said
distraction from tasks they deem uninteresting
difficulty maintaining relationships
risk-taking behaviours without thinking about consequences.

Gender specific signs and symptoms

While ADHD is equally common across genders, girls are typically diagnosed less frequently, often as a result of their ability to "mask"; tempering responses learned through observing social behaviours exhibited by neurotypical peers (similar to girls with ASD).

Girls are more likely to present as "daydreamers" (inattentive), while behaviours exhibited by boys are largely more energetic (hyperactive).

Girls may:

appear shy or withdrawn
become upset or cry easily

daydream, or have difficulty maintaining focus
appear disorganised and messy (in both appearance and physical space)
seem unmotivated or forgetful
be highly sensitive to emotions/certain fabrics/noise
hyper-talkative (verbally impulsive) or hyper-reactive (exaggerated emotional response)

Boys, on the other hand, are more likely to present with behaviours such as:

running and shouting when playing, even indoors
playing too roughly
bumping into people and things
constantly moving, even when seated
be perceived as overly sensitive or emotional
compensate for perceived weakness by demonstrating perfectionism in other areas
be mistaken for being lazy when struggling to remain focused
struggle with low self-esteem and feelings of failure and shame.