Check Up - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

How can you tell whether your child has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or is simply restless or bored? ADHD is a genetically-determined condition that affects the parts of the brain which control impulses, concentration and attention. It is thought to affect between one in a hundred and one in twenty children; but ADHD doesn’t only affect children. ADHD can affect adults causing big mood swings during the day and impulsive behaviour. It is commonly undiagnosed in adults. The symptoms of ADHD in children include being restless, fidgety and overactive, continuously chattering and interrupting, and being easily distracted. It is more extreme than simple misbehaving, and is usually noticed in early childhood (around the age of five). ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, but more likely a combination of factors including changes in the brain as well as genetic and environmental factors. Barbara Myers puts your questions to expert Professor Peter Hill, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, who will give advice on treatment and management of the condition.