Attention deficit disorder – with or without hyperactivity – is a disorder that disrupts learning at school.

There are three manifestations of attentional deficits  :

• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), mixed type
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – predominantly inattentive type
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – predominantly hyperactive-impulsive

Children with ADD/ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) have difficulty concentrating and performing complex tasks. This attention deficit is frequently accompanied by neurological hyperactivity.

The main symptoms in children are as follows:

Inattention

• difficulty staying focused on a task for a long time (fatigability)
• signs of inattention, “head in the clouds” attitude, difficulty listening when spoken to
• Frequent carelessness (forgetting deductions in math, forgetting agreements in spelling, etc.)
• general disorganization (at home and in class)
• frequent loss and forgetfulness of equipment or personal belongings
• ease of being distracted from work (sensitivity to interference)
• difficulty following precise instructions and selecting relevant information
• poor multitasking skills (listening and note-taking)
• difficulty getting started and lack of perseverance
• tendency to get lost, to find their way around space and time

Impulsivity

Children ADD/ADHD tend to act or talk before they think. They often lack patience; they don’t read problem statements carefully or listen to instructions until the end, before embarking on the task at hand.

Hyperactivity

Hyperactive children have great difficulty staying physically still and/or quiet. They have little self-control and do not learn easily from the mistakes made by their hyperactivity.

Hyperactivity is frequently accompanied by an attention deficit.