Understanding ADHD: Symptoms, Treatments, and Strategies for Managing Daily Life

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, this is a chronic condition which presents as an attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Symptoms of ADHD will often interfere with daily activities and relationships as they can contribute to low self-esteem, troubled relationships and difficulty at school or work[1].

People with ADHD experience the world in a more intense way than neurotypical people do. ADHD people experience a high volume of sensory input at any given time causing their nervous system to rarely at rest.

Inattention: means a person may have difficulty staying on task, sustaining focus and staying organised. Its’s important to note that these problems are not due to defiance or any lack of comprehension, it is mainly due to an overwhelmed nervous system.

This can appear as:

Overlooking or missing detail and seeming to make careless mistake in schoolwork or during other activities.
Difficulty sustaining attention during tasks or play. Constant need/want for a new task or play idea.
Finding it hard to follow instructions (particularly ones that with more than one step) or completing tasks, starting tasks but losing focus and getting easily sidetracked.
Difficulty with time management and keeping track of belongings.
Avoidance of tasks that require sustained focus and mental effort[2].

Hyperactivity: a person may be observed to move about constantly, this include situation where it may be inappropriate to do so. This movement can present as excessively fidgeting, tapping or talking[3].

Impulsivity: a person may act without thinking or difficulty with self-control. Impulsivity also includes a need for immediate reward. An impulsive person may often interrupt others or make important decisions without considering the consequences of the decision.

This can appear as:

Fidgeting and squirming while seated or leaving seat.
Constantly ion motion or on the go, often described as acts as if driven by a motor
Excessively talking
Interrupting others in conversations or tasks[4].

ADHD symptoms can appear in child’s early years at ages 3-6 and continue through to adulthood. The symptoms often are described or mistaken as behavioural/ disciplinary problems. People with ADHD can often have other conditions such as learning disabilities, anxiety disorder and depression[5].

How can OT help

Occupational therapists work with people to build skills they need to function independently in all aspects of their life. OT’s working with people with ADHD can particularly helpful in developing skills in time management and organisation, improve executive function, social skills and more.

Other ways OT’s can assist: