What Is Attention Deficit Disorder?

Attention deficit disorder is actually a condition where the person may have some difficulty focusing his or her attention. This is not done voluntarily and the person with this condition can not help it. There is a difference between attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Many people used to think that both are the same disorder but recent studies have shown that there are large differences between individual who suffer from attention deficit disorder and the latter disorder. Basically, both disorders have the inattention but the hyperactivity is missing from the attention deficit disorder.

Characteristics Of Attention Deficit Disorder

Individuals with attention deficit disorder tend to be a bit careless when it comes to school work or work details. Other than this, the individual will also manifest signs of being bored or distracted when he or she should be focusing his attention on what is at hand. People with this disorder also have some difficulty organizing his or her things as well as may have some difficulty keeping track of his or her things. The person with attention deficit disorder is also prone to losing things and losing track of daily activities or what is supposed to be in his or her schedule. Following instructions may also be a bit of a hurdle for those with attention deficit disorder since their attention may be elsewhere when the instructions are given out or the individual may not have been listening at all when the instructions were given.

Diagnosis Of Attention Deficit Disorder

The symptoms of attention deficit disorder may seem quite normal for some children or may occur to people at some point in their lives. This actually makes the disorder a bit difficult to diagnose or be brought to the attention of specialists. Not all of the characteristics or symptoms may manifest in some people and in others more symptoms may occur. Although, this disorder is commonly labeled as a childhood disorder, there are also some adults who suffer from this. Attention deficit disorder may be low key in some people and easily recognizable in others. There are adults who have come to manage and control this disorder on their own, especially when the degree of their disorder is easy to control.

Children with attention deficit disorder may be easier to spot or recognize and parents can take steps to manage and control this disorder. Some may even be diagnosed wrongly just by manifesting some of the symptoms and characteristics of attention deficit disorder. Some of the symptoms may be caused by lack of sleep or stress.