| ADHD (commonly known as ADD) is a behavioral disorder. Basically, kids who have it have difficulty concentrating and are extremely restless, or both. The American Psychiatric Association calls the distinct types “inattentive” and “hyperactive-impulsivity.” Some adolescents with attention deficit disorder can’t organize or complete tasks, get distracted easily, and seem not to listen. Others may be rebellious and reckless — they can’t wait their turn, keep quiet, or keep their friends. Still others have both kinds of problems. Don’t be alarmed if those behaviors seem familiar: As your child enters his teens, he probably talks back, argues with his best buddy, loses his keys, or fails to finish his homework from time to time — almost every kid does. A child with ADHD will do these things more often (though, unless he has a severe case, you wouldn’t be able to pick him out from a group of kids watching TV). This may make things harder for him at school, at home, or in social settings. |
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