Have you ever been distressed because you have received a note from school saying that your kid will not listen or causes trouble in class? You are not alone. Parents receive these kind of notes every day. One frequent cause of this kind of behavior is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Even though your kid may want to be a good student, if he or she suffers from it, the impulsive behavior and difficulty paying attention which results from it, will frequently interfere and cause serious problems for him in school. Often teachers, parents, and friends feel that your child is misbehaving or appears different, but they are often unable to specify what is wrong.

Most children show inattention, distractibility, impulsivity or hyperactivity occasionally, but if your kid has ADHD, he or she will show these symptoms more frequently than other kids of his age.

ADHD occurs in approximately 4% of school age children.

To be officially diagnosed as ADHD the symptoms must have begun before the age of seven; also, this disorder sometimes continues into adulthood.

It tends to run in families; about 25% of the kids biological parents also have it.

A child with ADHD often shows some of the following:

Difficulty paying attention and concentrating,

Inattention to details and the frequent making of careless mistakes,

Very easily distracted,

Often loses school supplies and forgets to turn in homework, or does not do the homework at all,

Frequently does not finish his class work,

Does not seem to listen,

Difficulty following multiple directions,

Tends to blurt out answers and interrupt others,

Impatient and fidgety,

Frequently squirms or loses things,

Frequently leaves his seat and runs around excessively,

Talks too much and has difficulty playing quietly by himself,

Often intrudes on others.

If your child manifests these ADHD symptoms you should arrange for him to have a comprehensive evaluation by a psychologist. Your child may have other psychiatric disorders as well, such as anxiety disorder,depression, or bipolar disorder which should also be treated.

Without proper treatment, your child may needlessly fall behind in schoolwork and his friendships and other relationships may suffer. If your kid goes untreated, he will likely experience more failure than is called for and will be unduly criticized by his teachers and other family members who do not recognize his behavior as a legitimate health problem.

Scientific studies clearly demonstrate that medication can be quite successful in helping your child to regain his self-control and ability to concentrate. Stimulant medications, such as methylphenidate and pemoline can improve your childs attention, his ability to focus on goal directed behavior and his ability to concentrate and organize.

Some antidepressants may also be helpful; other treatment approaches include cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, parenting education and teachers modifications to your kids lesson plans. Behavioral therapy can also help your kid control his aggression and modify his social behavior.

Cognitive therapy can help your child enhance his self esteem, reduce his pessimistic thoughts and improve his ability to problem solve. As a parent, you can also learn helpful child-management skills, such as communicating instructions one step at a time rather than all at once.

If your child is diagnosed with ADHD and you arrange for him to be treated appropriately, he can move on to have a productive and successful life and academic career.

If your child shows symptoms and behaviors of ADHD, locate a clinical psychologist who can then diagnose him, treat his condition and most likely, change his life for the better.