The basic definition of ADHD
Who discovered it and created the term
How understanding has changed over the years
How to start to take control of the issues
In this module, you will learn:
The basic definition of ADHD
Who discovered ADHD and created the term
How understanding of ADHD has changed over the years
How to start to take control of the issues
Welcome to your ADHD Awareness Diploma course
Before you begin the course please read these important notes.
Modules
The course name is broken down into 15 modules. Each information-packed module lasts between
15 and 60 minutes, but you are free to spend as long as you like on each module. Once you have
finished the module, click the “continue to next module” button at the bottom of the page to move to
the next one.
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Some of the modules contain self-assessed assignments/tasks. The tasks are set at the end of the
module. Most of the assignments should take around 30 minutes to complete, but again, you are free to spend as much time as you need on them. The assignments are self-assessed; you do not need to send them in to us. You will find the answers/our suggestions attached.
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Information worth remembering
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Vitally important to remember. Ignoring this could cause problems.
Useful trivia
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Questions you should ask yourself
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End of Course Test
At the end of the course, there is a 30-question test. Each question has multiple-choice answers and
you will have 3 options to choose from, one of them is correct. In order to pass the test you need to
answer 70% (21/30) of the questions correctly. Don't panic if you don't pass the first time. You can
take the test as many times as you need. If you do not pass on the first occasion we recommend that
you go back over the modules that you did not fare so well at and study them again.
Completion of the Course
Once you have successfully completed the end-of-course test, you will be awarded your certification.
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log in to your account and go to the My Certificates tab.
What you can do once you have completed the course
Once you have completed the course you will have a great understanding of ADHD. You can now use
this knowledge to assist with your search for jobs. Any potential employers can validate your
qualification 24/7 via our website. Simply provide them with your full name and certificate number.
If you wish, you can undertake further study to bolster your employment chances further - you can
never have too much knowledge!
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Let's Get Going
We hope you enjoy your course and wish you the best of luck with your future career. You can now
begin your course. The first module starts below. The videos in this course summarise the
information in each module, but you will need to read the text to be able to complete any worksheets
and final test.
Introduction to ADHD – 5m46s
1.1 The Basic Clinical Definition of ADHD
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a term that more people are now
aware of, as it has had more than its fair share of media coverage.
However, it is one of those medical terms that has a lot of negativity surrounding it, because of the
lack of understanding as to what it means or how it impacts an individual. Some people still regard it
as a made-up condition.
This, in itself, is a major problem, and education is key to overcoming it. Throughout this course, you
will learn all about ADHD, allowing you to deal with the issues if it affects a family member, or
perhaps to work with those individuals that have been diagnosed.
ADHD is regarded by experts within the field as being one of the most common childhood conditions
globally, although the true picture of how many children are affected is still being discovered.
Furthermore, it is a condition that stays with the individual through adolescence and into adulthood
- with the latter being something that surprises a number of people, who believe that ADHD is
something that applies only to children.
It makes sense for us to begin by looking at the clinical definition of ADHD. Then, with further detail,
you can begin to piece together how ADHD affects not only the individual that has the condition but
also those around them.
Later in this module, we will look at the ways in which the understanding of the condition has
changed over the years. As you will discover, ADHD awareness has come a long way already.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the official
clinical definition of the term ADHD is as follows:
“A persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning
or development.'
The initial diagnosis of ADHD is usually made before the age of 12. However, for many, the diagnosis
comes in adulthood, after the individual has been experiencing symptoms for most of their life. This
is especially true for females with ADHD.
We will go into more detail on the symptoms in other modules, but at this point, it is enough to look
at the basic, clinical symptoms that need to be observed for ADHD to be a possible reason or
explanation for certain types of behaviour in a child or adult.
Please note: caution should always be taken against jumping to conclusions, as there are many
possible reasons for the behaviours identified as ADHD symptoms. Anyone presenting with ADHD
symptoms must see a medical professional for a proper diagnosis.
Generally speaking, a person would need to show several symptoms over a certain period of time for
them to be diagnosed with ADHD.
The key symptoms, according to the clinical diagnosis, include the following:
Hyperactivity and impulsivity
Hyperactivity is perhaps the most obvious symptom in that the person should show clear signs of
having excess energy, or show that they are often over-excited with no clear reason for them to be
acting in this manner. Hyperactivity can be the result of a number of other disorders, which is why a
diagnosis cannot be made purely on this symptom alone. However, it is clearly a predominant
symptom and one that cannot be ignored.
Hyperactivity goes hand-in-hand with impulsivity. The person may behave inappropriately or in a
way that does not meet societal expectations, such as regularly interrupting or talking over other
people in conversation.
Some of the symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are as follows:
Fidgets or seems unable to sit still
Is restless to the point they run around or climb on things in inappropriate situations
Talks excessively, interrupts others
Has trouble waiting their turn
Is often unable to perform activities quietly
Inattentiveness
Another clinical symptom that is linked to this condition is that the child has to be seen as being
incapable of paying attention for any significant period of time. The important thing to note here is
that their attention span has to be compared to other people of the same age and in the same
setting, as there will always be subtle differences not attributable to any disorder. It is also the case
that this has to be something that is observed over a considerable period of time, in order to
eliminate the possibility that other factors are temporarily creating this lack of attention.
Some of the symptoms of inattentive type ADHD are as follows:
Is often unable to hold attention to a task or activity
Does not seem to listen when being spoken to
Is easily distracted
Is often forgetful and/or loses things
Has a tendency to avoid tasks which require sustained focus over a long period of time
As you can see, the basic clinical explanation is relatively easy to understand. However, ADHD is a
complex condition, where individual cases vary significantly in the range and severity of symptoms.
Several subtypes, or combinations of common symptoms, have been identified.
We will look at the different subtypes of ADHD when exploring the symptoms further.
1.2 History and the Creation of the Term
After looking at the definition, we can now provide you with some background information
on the history of ADHD to give you a sense of how understanding has developed over the
decades.
As with other disorders, understanding has evolved considerably from its earliest days. However,
progress has been slow, sometimes accidental, and not without difficulties.
It was not until the 1980s that ADHD was officially classified as a diagnosable condition.
Theories relating to ADHD-like behaviours have been in circulation for over 100 years. One of the
first significant discoveries was in 1902 when a British paediatrician by the name of Sir George F.
Still noted differences in the behaviour of several of his patients, which could not be attributed to
their level of intelligence. Still described the behaviours as 'an abnormal defect of moral control in
children.'
He observed that it was as if they could not really control their energy or the way they acted, and yet
it was not an obvious, recognised form of mental impairment. The assertion regarding the children
having the same intelligence as others was seen as being key, as it indicated that there was
something else going on that was, in effect, influencing their behaviour.
Previously, it would have been put down to some kind of mental deficiency - which at that time
meant that they were regarded as being less intelligent - but Still was able to espouse the theory
that this wasn’t the case.
At that stage, there was very little understanding of what doctors were dealing with or how to
resolve the behavioural issues. The next major breakthrough in the understanding and treatment of
this condition came merely by chance in the 1930s. This was the decade that a drug called
Benzedrine was approved in the United States.
In 1937, Dr Charles Bradley stumbled upon the calming effects of Benzedrine when trying the drug
as a treatment for headaches. Some children's behaviour and performance in school improved when
he gave it to them.
Bradley’s studies were significant but were largely ignored by the medical profession, and did not
initially lead to widespread prescriptions of Benzedrine to treat behavioural disorders. It was not
until the 1950s that doctors began prescribing a similar drug, Ritalin.
1952 was an important year for the understanding of mental health conditions, as it was the first
time that different mental disorders were formally recorded in the first edition of the DSM
(Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders). However, it is important to note that there
is no mention of ADHD in this first volume and, indeed, even when the updated version was released
in 1968, it still did not mention ADHD. The condition was introduced under a different name,
Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder.
The interpretation of this condition as described in the DSM is different to that we now have
regarding ADHD. At this time, it was thought that the main focus was on impulsive behaviour and on
individuals being unable to stop themselves from carrying out certain actions. Despite this limited
interpretation, it is still seen as a step forward in the understanding of the condition.
Further progress had been made by the time the third edition of the DSM was released in 1980. In
this edition, the condition was renamed Attention Deficit Disorder, and furthermore had two clear
variations identified – ADD with hyperactivity and ADD without hyperactivity.
It was not until 1987, in the fourth edition of the DSM, that the condition was officially identified as
ADHD. In the process of doing so, they pulled together a number of different subtypes of the
disorder - mostly inattentive, mostly hyperactive and impulsive, and a combined type that includes
all three symptoms. This edition of the DSM was also the first to state that the symptoms of ADHD
can continue into adulthood.
The final change came in 2000 when the fifth edition of the DSM was published. This edition
included the three different subtypes that match our current understanding of the condition and are
used by healthcare professionals today.
The three subtypes of the condition are as follows:
Combined type ADHD
Predominantly inattentive type ADHD
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type ADHD
As you can see, it took around 100 years for us to get from the initial observations of children
suffering from behavioural dysfunction to a concrete understanding of the condition and the ability
to identify the different subtypes.
We will look at the three subtypes in more detail in later modules.
1.3 How Understanding Has Changed over the Years
As with any medical condition, in which we include psychological conditions, the
understanding of it does change over the years; especially when more money is put into
research.
ADHD has seen a considerable sum of money being invested in its study because it has been
accepted that the condition has a significant negative impact on the life of the individual.
This understanding means that there is an even bigger need for improved treatments that can bring
the condition under control and allow the individual to develop mentally and emotionally in the same
way as their peers, rather than simply being viewed as 'difficult' or 'troublesome'.
In recent years, one of the biggest changes has been the realisation that ADHD can stay with people
even when they move into adulthood. Previously, there was a belief that this was a condition that
children would 'grow out of'. Thankfully, that misconception has been thoroughly debunked.
You can look at the brief timeline that has been discussed above, to see how our understanding of
the condition has changed over the decades. We can also look at the way in which more people are
now diagnosed with the condition as further proof that we do have a better understanding of ADHD,
and that doctors and medical experts feel confident enough in their interpretation of the condition to
provide children or adults with this diagnosis.
Indeed, studies have shown that there has been an increase in the number of people being
diagnosed with ADHD from the 1990s onwards. There are several factors thought to
contribute to this rise:
1. It appears to be the case that doctors in general, are better equipped at being able to correctly
identify the condition, thanks to an improved understanding of notable symptoms. This is seen
as a useful leap forward, because the more doctors that are trained to spot this condition, or at
least view it as being a possibility, the more likely it is that people will not have to suffer or
struggle with their symptoms.
2. Thanks to the increased exposure that the condition has had in the media since the 1990s, it is
certainly also the case that more teachers and parents are aware of the basic symptoms of the
condition. Teachers are more likely to request the child is assessed; likewise, parents are also
more willing to take their child to the doctor in order to see if ADHD could explain their
behaviour. In previous decades, there was certainly a reluctance to do so, and this may have
very well contributed to a lower diagnosis rate compared to other conditions.
3. Historically, women and girls have always been much less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.
This is thought to be attributable to females usually having symptoms of inattention, rather
than hyperactivity-impulsiveness – and inattention symptoms are less obvious and can be
conveniently explained away as something else. There is now a growing awareness of ADHD in
females, and diagnoses have increased significantly since the turn of the century. It is still the
case that females are often not diagnosed until adulthood, but some progress has been made.
4. Finally, it may be the case that more people are actually developing the condition. This means
that there could be modern-day environmental factors that increase the risk of developing
ADHD, for example, exposure to heavy metals and chemicals - particularly prenatal exposure.
It is worth noting that environmental factors cannot directly cause ADHD, but they are thought
to increase the risk, and potentially increase the severity of symptoms.
But what about our current understanding of the condition? What progress has been made in ADHD
research?
Scientists have been able to determine many things about ADHD through their research. For
example, there is a proven genetic component in the condition; meaning that if one of the parents
has ADHD themselves, there is an increased chance of their child having the condition.
Other researchers have been able to develop new ADHD medications, including some non-stimulant
medications which work in a different way to the traditional Benzedrine-like medications. Other
novel treatments and ways to detect ADHD are being explored, such as the virtual reality game
EPELI, which is showing promising results in detecting ADHD. Better detection is something that
could potentially open the way for improved outcomes earlier on.
The understanding of this condition has certainly come on leaps and bounds over the decades, but
there is a great deal of work still to be done.
FACT
The neurotransmitter dopamine, which helps us to both think, focus and plan, seems to be less
effective in the brains of those with ADHD. This makes learning more difficult and sometimes
stressful.
Source:ADHDFoundation.org.uk
1.4 Starting to Take Control of the Issues
Now we have a good understanding of what ADHD looks like, it’s time to consider other
issues around the condition, and how they can be addressed.
The main focus for those affected is not only the ability to get the condition under control - and we
will look at various treatment methods throughout the course - but also, what other obstacles there
are to navigate.
For example:
There are a number of myths and misconceptions about ADHD. Some believe that ADHD isn’t real
and that the condition is over-diagnosed and over-medicated. Others think that people with ADHD
are simply lazy and wilful; that if they just ‘focus’ and ‘try harder’ they will be the same as everyone
else. Parents of children with ADHD are sometimes labelled as ‘bad parents’ by those ignorant of the
true nature of the condition. Another common misconception is that ADHD is nothing to worry about
because children grow out of it.
In other words, one crucial area that has to be worked on is improving the general understanding
and awareness that everyone has regarding ADHD. Some quick research online will lead you to
numerous links and posts from parents of children with the condition who are frustrated at the
incorrect information and misunderstanding that prevails. These misconceptions have to be
addressed, to allow those with ADHD to get the correct treatment and for society to view this
condition in the appropriate manner.
There are things that you can do in order to really take control of these issues, and they can benefit
not only individuals with ADHD but also their family and friends.
Understand it yourself: The first thing to do is to thoroughly research the condition yourself - and
this diploma will make this so much easier for you. But don’t stop there! There are many books and
online resources which can be used to further your understanding of ADHD.
Get involved: The only way in which you are ever going to be able to deal with this kind of condition
is to actually deal with it head-on. Get involved and never shy away from it. ADHD is something that
can be controlled and is not something to be feared.
Ask for help: There is a considerable amount of help out there for people who have a child, sibling
or other relative with the condition. You should never be afraid to ask for help - there are a number
of groups that can offer you the kind of support that you are looking for. This is not something you
have to suffer in silence.
SUMMARY
In this module, we have focused primarily on the clinical side of things by looking at the official
definition as well as the history of the development of ADHD as a condition.
Furthermore, we looked at the way in which our understanding of the condition has changed over
the decades.
Finally, we sought to offer you some basic advice on how to begin to take control of the issues that
can arise when dealing with this condition. It is not going to be easy, but at the same time, it is not
something you can shy away from.
In the next module, we will turn our attention more toward the family and the ways in which this
condition can impact on everybody that is involved.
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