ADD Q & A
What is Attention Deficit Disorder?
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a type of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A child who has ADD has demonstrable symptoms of inattention or being easily distracted. However, they do not have symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity.
What types of inattention does a child with ADD have?
Many children with ADD will have several or even many of these signs. Signs of ADD include: becoming easily distracted, being forgetful about schedules or routines, failing to pay attention in school, making careless mistakes due to lack of attention, ignoring others during conversation, failing to follow instructions, failing to complete homework or chores, the tendency to become sidetracked easily, problems with getting and staying organized, avoidance of tasks that demand concentration, and the continual loss of important items like school books, phone, or lunchbox.
How severe are ADD symptoms in children?
The degree of severity varies from one child to another. Some children have only very mild signs of ADD while others have nearly all of the signs of ADD on a daily basis. Sometimes the symptoms of ADD will grow less severe as a young person moves into adulthood, but in other cases, ADD will continue for a person's entire life. The degree of severity will play a role in deciding the treatment path. At Clear Lake Kids Psychiatry, all ADD treatment is customized based on individual symptoms and the severity of the symptoms.
How is ADD treated?
ADD and other types of ADHD have been found to be most effectively treated when the child's family and the health care professional work in tandem for the child's benefit. Often, the solution is a behavioral modification and medication. Each child is different, so Clear Lake Kids Psychiatry decides an individual treatment path after extensive testing and observation of each young patient.