What is ADHD

ADHD

ADHD it stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, but what does ADHD really mean? It is a common disorder, and occurs mainly in children, however it may affect children differently. It often makes it hard for a child to focus and pay attention and can make it hard for a child to do well in school or behave at home

What it isn’t

ADHD is not an excuse for bad parenting, or bad behavior. It is a real medical condition, and has nothing to do with intelligence, motivation or your upbringing.

Effects on the brain

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls a range of activities including mood, movement and sleeping. ADHD affects the uptake of this chemical causing suffers to lack concentrations and struggle to control impulsive behaviours.  Common symptoms of ADHD include:
 * a short attention span
 * restlessness
 * being easily distracted
 * constant fidgeting

How common is it?

Estimates suggest that over 400,000 children in the UK have ADHD. However there are a large number that haven’t been diagnosed.