Reiff and Stein (2003) report that the primary clinical features of ADHD are heightened motoric activity, short attention span, distractibility, impulsiveness, and lack of self control. According to the authors, ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of children and the symptoms can persist into adolescence and adulthood. However, because one or more of these symptoms are often associated with other disorders, Reiff and Stein (2003) state that it is important to collect a good deal of documentation both at home and at school. Further, the chronicity of symptoms and the connection between the behavior and dysfunctions at home and/or at school should also be recorded. Only in this way, can confidence be placed in an ADHD diagnosis.
Reiff (2002) reports that ADHD is associated with many behavioral and academic problems. Children with ADHD are more likely to need to attend special classes due to cognitive and/or learning disabilities. They are more likely to drop out of school, become delinquent, and generally have problems with the law due to difficulties forming interpersonal relationships and a tendency to unruly behavior.
Also, Reiff (2002) notes that because ADHD children often display coercive and critical styles they are disliked by peers. Further, they can experience profound difficulty in school due to related language and other learning disorders. In general, Reiff notes that about 80 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD are likely to have one or more of the following associated characteristics: cognitive deficits, deficits in executive function, difficulties in applying intelligence, academic delays, learning disorders in reading and math, speech and language impairments, sleep disturbance problems, a proneness to risky behaviors and accidents, interpersonal difficulties, family and/or peer problems. They can also have other forms of disruptive disorder such as Conduct Disorder (CD), or Oppositional Defian...