ADHD and Hyper-Lived ADHD Stories

            In Hyper-Lives ADHD Stories, we learn about the struggles children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) go through on a day-to-day basis. According to Children by John W. Santrock, ADHD is a disability in which children consistently show one or more of the following characteristics over a period of time: (1) inattention, (2) hyperactivity, and (3) impulsivity (p. 339-340). Today, the number of children who have been diagnosed with ADHD has increased significantly. With the help of daily stimulant medications to different types of therapy, children diagnosed with ADHD cope with a lot of obstacles. There are four major ideas that were discussed in the film; inattentiveness, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and the medications used for those with ADHD. According to Santrock, "Depending on the characteristics that children with ADHD display, they can be diagnosed as (1) ADHD with predominantly inattention, (2) ADHD with predominantly hyperactivity/impulsivity, or (3) ADHD with both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity" (340).
             Ensuring children are properly diagnosed is essential when determining if the child has ADHD or not. Unlike many other disorders, ADHD can not be diagnosed within a school setting. Most children are show symptoms of ADHD when they are in preschool. Although many children show symptoms early on, diagnosis for most children does not happen until elementary school years. Because of the extremely specific criteria needed to diagnose a child with ADHD, the school setting does not allow the proper diagnosis. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, determining if a child has ADHD is a several step process that can not be determined using a single exam or screening (The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth edition (DSM-V), helps a psychologist determine if a child has ADHD, and in which category they fit into.