Types of ADHD - yes there are different sorts!

posted October 2, 2009 - 5:30pm

Types of ADHD - yes there are different sorts!

Many people are confused and use ADD and ADHD as interchangeable terms. In fact, ADHD has unique elements to it and there are various types of ADHD - depending on the amount and focus of the behaviors concerned. This is a short post - and is intended as a brief illustration of the characteristics of the three categories of ADHD.

ADHD Types

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) comes in a number of forms. In 1994, the American Psychiatric Association diagnosed three distinct categories of ADHD (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Edition IV, 1994).

General symptoms of ADHD include a short attention span, disorganization, impulsivity, hyperactivity, restlessness and an inability to remain 'on task'.

Each sub-type of ADHD displays some, but not all, of those characteristics.

ADHD Type 1: Combined Type

The Combined Type exhibits both the inattentive characteristics and also the hyperactivity-impulsivity characteristics of the disorder.

ADHD Type 2: Predominantly Inattentive

The Predominantly Inattentive exhibits the inattention characteristics (easily distracted, inability to follow-through, short attention span), but not the hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms.

ADHD Type 3: Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive

The Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive exhibits the active characteristics of the disorder (talking out of turn, dangerous behavior, excessive movement and restlessness, irritability), but not the inattention symptoms.

DID YOU KNOW? Albert Einstein, Michael Phelps (Olympic swimmer), Winston Churchill, Salvador Dali are examples of famous people with ADHD (http://www.ldrfa.org).

Some of the best ADHD information can be found at: www.chadd.org - well worth a visit (and free)! That's where I started to educate myself when I was diagnosed!

To read all of my articles at Xomba just click on: http://www.xomba.com/user/mdaly