ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that runs in families and impacts a person’s thinking,

feelings, and behavior. But what does that mean exactly? It means that the prefrontal cortex of
the brain does not perform at the expected level based on an individual’s age. The prefrontal
cortex regulates decision making, emotions, and behavior. When compared to children of the
same age, a child with ADHD will behave in a manner that is not the same as others the same
age. For example, a child with ADHD may be impulsive, easily distracted, have difficulties
focusing, and/or struggle with emotional control compared to a child of the same age. So, ADHD
is considered to be a Developmental Disorder of Executive Functioning.

ADHD is one of the most common mental health diagnoses and the most prevalent psychiatric
disorders in Canada. Worldwide, ADHD occurs in 4% of adults and 5% of children. ADHD is a
chronic disorder, which means it lasts through the lifetime and does not just “go away.” The
interesting thing is that ADHD is also the most treatable disorder and continues to be under-
recognized and underdiagnosed.

There are three main presentations of ADHD:

 “Inattentive” (ADHD-I) - A child will seem uninterested or like she or he is not

listening. A child will have difficulties staying focused on certain tasks, may seem
forgetful, may tend to lose things, and/or be disorganized.
 “Hyperactive-Impulsive” (ADHD-H/I) - Children with hyperactive-impulsive
tendencies are often fidgety, on the go, and hard to nail down. You may ask
yourself, “what child isn’t like that?”. My answer is that a child with ADHD will
find it difficult to stay seated or focused when asked to, even after multiple
requests. Children with ADHD-HI can be very talkative and will tend to interrupt
others even after being asked to be patient.
 “Combined” (ADHD-C) - This is the most common presentation of ADHD.
Children with ADHD-C possess both ADHD-I and ADHD-H/I characteristics.
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