All children act like children at times. This means that they get fidgety or impatient, their attention will wander, and they will want to run around and play to get rid of childhood stresses. Sometimes kids say things that are inappropriate. Sometimes these actions are because they are kids, and they blow of steam, or handle difficult situations this way. Other times inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior are or may be a sign of ADHD.

ADHD is a prevalent disorder in our society today, and in many cases it goes undiagnosed or untreated. This is especially true for children whose behavior is inappropriate, but whose parents believe it to be "normal" childhood behavior, rather than a mental disorder. Many adults also suffer from ADHD and leave it untreated because they think they can handle the symptoms with will power or determination.

The fact is that left untreated, ADHD can have severe effects on personal, social, and other aspects of your life including your ability to get a good job, maintain a healthy relationship and more. ADHD can lead to problems at home and at school, with family, teachers, and peers, so it's important to identify the symptoms and get help.

So, what are the symptoms of ADHD, and how to you know if you have it? Well, this is a tricky question because unlike something like cancer, a doctor can't just take a blood or bone sample and test you for it. Instead, your behavior has to be monitored, and you fill out checklists that represent your behavior of the past six months, then based on that the severity of symptoms determines whether or not you have ADHD, and to what degree.

Usually before it will be called ADHD a doctor will look at the symptoms and evaluate if they were present before age 7 years; if they are manifested in more than one setting, such as both at home and at school, or at school and work, etc. (this way they know if it is a behavior problem because they do not like school, or an actual mental impairment); and they will want clear evidence of a significant impairment socially, with school, or work.

The nationally recognized medical approach to ADHD is simply if you have six or more of the following symptoms of inattention, and six or more of the following symptoms for hyperactivity and impulsiveness. In addition to that, the symptoms must have been present for at least 6 months to a point that is disruptive and inappropriate for developmental level. If you meet these criteria you probably have ADHD. This varies some for children and adults

Inattention symptoms:

Basic inattention

• Often does not give or pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities. (Atypical mistakes that would not usually be made, such as spelling their own name wrong).
• Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities.
• Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly.
• Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions).
• Often has trouble organizing activities.
• Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework, and not because they want to be at a friends house, etc. but because of the actual mental effort).
• Often loses things needed for tasks and activities (e.g. toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools).
• Is often easily distracted.
• Is often forgetful in daily activities.

Children with ADHD often bounce from task to task, and the problem is that they usually do not complete any of them, or they skip necessary steps in procedures. They often have difficulty learning new material, organizing their schoolwork and their time is harder for them than it is for most children. They struggle with anything they are not interested in.

There are some other symptoms of inattention, but these cover the basics. All children have periods of inattention, and this does not mean they have ADHD, but chronic inattention, or inattention that can't seemed to be controlled is a sign or symptom of ADHD.

It is important to note that in many cases it isn't that children with ADD/ADHD can't pay attention. In fact, often, when they're doing things they enjoy or hearing about topics in which they're interested, they have no trouble focusing and staying on task. In fact, in many cases, the problem becomes moving on to something else. However, when given a task or activity they do not have an interest in, it can be next to impossible to get them to focus and pay attention. Simply put: if the child isn't viscerally engaged by an activity, the attention of that child will quickly seek out a different activity or something else to think about.

Now, for six or more of the following symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity present for at least 6 months:

Hyperactivity symptoms:

• Often can not hold still, instead fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
• Often gets up from seat when remaining in seat is expected, such as during class at school, or at church.
• Often runs about or climbs when and where it is not appropriate (adolescents or adults may feel very restless but show greater restraint).
• Often has trouble playing or enjoying leisure activities quietly.
• Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor".
• Often talks excessively, even if they have nothing to say.

The best way to describe these symptoms of ADHD is that the child seems to be always in motion. Sitting still can be very difficult for them. They may try to do several things at once, bouncing around from one activity to the next. Of course, such actions are fairly normal in small children, those that have not yet learned how to control impulsivity. However, by age four or five, though, most children have learned how to pay attention to others, to sit quietly when instructed to, and not to say everything that pops into their heads. So, this is the time to start monitoring the actions of the child, and you should know by the time the child reaches school age, if those actions are symptoms of childhood or of a child with ADD/ADHD.

Impulsivity symptoms:

• Often blurts out answers before questions have been asked in full.
• Often has trouble waiting one's turn, especially for things like being served meals, or in games.
• Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., butts into conversations or games with frequency).

Children tend to be hyperactive or impulsive on occasion, that is part of the growing up process. Your child may feel their needs are more important than your conversation, and interrupt you, this does not mean that they have ADHD. However, chronic impulsivity and hyperactivity, to a degree where it impairs their abilities in school, socially, etc. is a likely sign of ADHD.

Based on the above mentioned symptoms, and similar problems, a doctor will assess whether or not you or your child may have ADHD and what type. There are three basic types, and each has ranges of severity.

There is the combined ADHD where your child is both inattentive and hyperactive and impulsive for at least the past 6 months. This is usually the most severe form of ADHD and may be accompanied by other problems such as bipolar disorder, depression, etc. So, it is wise to watch symptoms carefully and discuss any concerns with a medical professional.

The next type of ADHD is a predominantly Inattentive Type. This is where the person's symptoms are mainly that of inattention. This is fairly typical of adult ADHD, although it is also wide-spread in children.

Of course the final, or third type of ADHD is a predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type. This is where inattention is not really an issue, but hyperactivity and impulsive behaviors, or the display of the hyperactive and impulsive symptoms are present for at least six months.

So, as you can see, it is important to look closely at the symptoms of your child's ADHD or your own ADHD in order to better help doctors determine the type. Different types of ADHD require different medications and therapy approaches, so it is important to distinguish. It is also important to note that other disorders, such as bipolar disorder, may have similar symptoms, so you want to know the differences so that you can be sure that you are diagnosed correctly, and not over or under-diagnosed.

It is also important to recognize that despite the bad there are some very positive characteristics of ADHD, such as extreme creativity, the ability to think outside the box, and a vitality and energy for life that can be infectious. If you or your child have symptoms of ADHD remember it can be good if properly monitored and if the environment you put yourself in is properly tailored to help you succeed.