ractive, which were replaced by ADD and ADHD (Ingersoll,1988).
Impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity are three areas of problem behavior for ADHD children. Parents describe the ADHD child as exhibiting more out-of-control behavior than most children. Impulsive behavior is described as sudden and unexpected, without forethought for consequences. Lack of attention is described as an inability to repeat a story that is read to them, inability to play a game or do math problems for long periods of time, or quick changes of toys or games. Areas of schoolwork which require long periods of sustained attention, become a problem for the ADHD child. Hyperactivity is described as repetitive movements such as rocking or general degrees of activity. Demonstration of these or other similar behaviors are not enough for a diagnosis of ADHD; the clinician would need reports from parents and teachers, psychological/diagnostic tests, physical examination, and observation in various settings (Ingersoll, 1988; Paltin, 1993).
Paltin (1993) describes three models suggesting different causes of ADHD: brain deficit models suggesting that it is caused by problems in the brain's functioning; mimicry models stating that it is caused by allergies and reactions to sugar; and social and educational environment causes.
Studies in the 1940s and 1950s felt that the brain was the cause of symptoms such as hyperactive movement and difficulty in
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