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Developmental Disorders Series
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder
I. What is Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder?
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) refers to the condition
whereby a child's attentiveness, degree of activity and ability to control
his/her emotions show significant discrepancy to those of children at
the same age, leading to difficulties in the child's learning, social
interactions and family life.
II. What are the symptoms of children with Attention Deficit
/ Hyperactivity Disorder?
- Inattentiveness
- Easily distracted and difficult to concentrate
- Often do not follow instructions
- Often fail to complete tasks on their own initiative
- Fail to pay attention to details and often make careless mistakes
- Fail to pay attention to what others are saying
- Often lose books, stationery and other belongings
- Hyperactivity
- Often fidget
- Fail to play quietly
- Talk excessively
- Impulsivity
- Have difficulty taking turns at games or other activities
- Fail to think before action
- Often interrupt others' speech or activities
- Some children with AD/HD mainly show attention deficit only, others
mainly show hyperactivity, while some show both symptoms.
- These symptoms are mostly noticed by teachers or parents at kindergarten
or early primary years. Such symptoms may persist into adolescence and
adulthood.
- Children consistently exhibit the above symptoms in different settings
(including at home and at school), leading to obvious difficulties in
learning and social interactions.
- Children may have other co-existing developmental disorders (e.g.
dyslexia).
III. What causes Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder?
The exact cause of AD/HD has yet to be determined, but research has mainly
suggested the following:
1. Imbalance of Neurotransmitters of the Brain
● Attentiveness is controlled by the balance of certain neurotransmitters
of the brain
2. Genetic Factors
● Hereditary factors are present, with a higher prevalence noted in males
3. Environmental Factors
● Environmental factors, such as family background, family members' attitude
and style in parenting as well as regularity in daily activities, do not
directly lead to AD/HD. Yet, such environmental factors and the degree
of acceptance of these children by their family members and teachers may
ease or worsen their symptoms.
IV. How does Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity
Disorder affect development of children?
1. At Home
● Often engage in dangerous activities, e.g. bumping against objects,
jumping from furniture, climbing windows
● Cannot be engaged in quiet play
● Messy in daily routine
● Parents may harshly criticise their children, beating and scolding them
for their misbehaviour, resulting in poor parent-child relationship
2. At School
● Often fail to remain seated, stay in queue or listen to teachers' instructions
attentively
● Have difficulty concentrating on lessons and doing class work, frequently
make careless mistakes during examinations, thus adversely affecting academic
results
● Poor compliance to school regulations and get punished frequently
3. At Social Occasions
● Unable to comply with rules of games, share toys or play co-operatively,
thus easily rejected by peers
● Often being labelled as "naughty" and "difficult to teach"
4. Self-perception
● Consider oneself as a loser
● Low self-image
V. Where can parents seek help if their child is suspected to
have Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder?
Preliminary Screening
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Maternal and Child Health Centres / Paediatric departments of hospitals
/ Private practitioners
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Further Assessment
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Child Assessment Centres
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Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service of hospitals
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Treatment, Education and Support Services
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Medical service
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service
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Education Bureau
- Educational Psychology Service
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Social Welfare Department
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VI. How can parents help their child with Attention Deficit
/ Hyperactivity Disorder?
1. Maintain regular daily routines
● Establish regular daily routines and draw up work schedule
● Arrange a fixed workplace for the child and require tidying up of the
area daily
● Use aids like alarm clocks, checklists and slogans to remind the child
of his/her tasks
● Minimise environmental disturbances to the child, e.g. TV noise
2. Allocate working time slots
● Arrange short breaks for the child before his/her attention weakens
so as to increase efficiency
3. Be better prepared
● Develop contingency plans in advance for occasions in which the child
often has problems, e.g. bringing the child's favourite small toys or
books to restaurant to prevent misbehaviour
4. Encourage good behaviour
● Praise the child specifically for positive behaviour
● Reward the child immediately after his/her good behaviour, give verbal
praise or tangible rewards frequently
● Use less punishment
● Set specific and achievable goals with the child and encourage him/her
to put ongoing efforts in attaining such goals through awarding of points
or stickers
Enquiry Numbers and Related Websites
Copyright @ 2008
Child Assessment Service, Department of Health, HKSAR
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