"Why don't people understand me? I'm not lazy. I'm not stupid. I'm smart and I know so many things. I have so many ideas." My friend's son was upset about his recent challenges at school. "They just don't get me", he said. ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders yet easily misunderstood. People with ADHD wish knowledge about their mental health issues was broadly known and that people such as teachers, friends' parents, sports coaches, etc truly understood their symptoms.
In this post, you find information about the symptoms and prevalence of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Canada. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder in which genetic and neurobiological factors play a critical role.
ADHD is described as children who display... persistent age-inappropriate symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity... that have enough of an impact to cause impairment in major life activities. (Clinic, 2021)
Symptoms
Definition of ADHD
ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed conditions in children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). The diagnostic term, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) refers to individuals who display patterns of inattention, impulsivity, and overactive behaviour that interfere with daily functioning (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual V (DSM-5) (APA, 2013) criteria for diagnosing ADHD lists three types of ADHD and the accompanying characteristics.
Inattentive Type
- A student may submit inaccurate or incomplete work
- A student may have difficulty attending to conversations, activities, or tasks
- A student may be easily distracted
- A student may have difficulty following directions
- A student may frequently lose materials, and/or have difficulty organising tasks and materials.
Hyperactive/Impulsive Type
- A student may appear to be in constant motion
- A student may frequently fidget or move in their seat
- A student may become restless during quiet activities
- A student may leave their seat when expected to remain seated
- A student may interrupt others and classroom activities
- A student may talk excessively, and/or fail to follow classroom procedures (e.g. blurt out answers without raising a hand).
Combined Type
- A student may exhibit symptoms that include behaviours from both categories above.
Core Symptoms
- Impulsivity - The child exhibits reasonable attention control but displays significant deficits with impulse control.
- Hyperactivity - The child exhibits reasonable attention control, but displays increased dysregulation and activity level.
- Inattention - The child exhibits significant inattention across multiple areas with no significant hyperactivity or impulsivity.
3 Components of Inattention
Additional ADHD Issues
ADHD has similar characteristics to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Learning Disabilities (Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, etc.), Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), Emotional and Behavioural Disorders (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), and Physical Disabilities. In addition to having ADHD, some of these children can also be characterised as gifted.
The intellectual capabilities typically exhibited by those with ADHD include:
- Rapid Learning
- Strong Memories
- Large Vocabularies
- Advanced Comprehension of Nuances
- Strong Curiosity
- Unusual Emotional Depth
- Divergent Thinking
(Postma, What does twice-exceptional mean? identifying and nurturing gifted children with ADHD, 2021)
Prevalence
In Canada, ADHD affects approximately 5-9% of children and 3-5% of adults. The exact causes of ADHD have not been determined. However, it is thought to have a high hereditary component. Interestingly, genetic studies show an over 90% chance of passing ADHD on. (Desrochers, 2017) ADHD impacts all ethnicities and socioeconomic statuses. (Desrochers, 2022)
Other authors discuss slightly different prevalence rates. For example, the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) found a prevalence estimate of 2.1% among children aged 6-11 which is low compared with other estimates. "The Ontario Child Health Study reported 6.1% among children aged 4 to 16,23 and the Quebec Child Mental Health Survey, 5.4% among children aged 6 to 14." (Canada, 2010)