Your Guide to ADHD Terminology
Here is your guide to understanding all things ADHD.
ADD: ADD or Attention Deficit disorder is an outdated term for ADHD. It is often still used to describe ADHD when hyperactivity is not present, although ADHD is now used as an inclusive term for all presentations of the disorder.
ADHD: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is the official name for the condition given by the American Psychiatric Association. It is described as a condition affecting a person’s attention span, activity and impulsivity - impacting their overall functioning or development.
ADHD Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive: A presentation of ADHD characterized by impulsivity and hyperactivity but lacks inattention.
ADHD Predominantly Inattentive: A presentation of ADHD characterized by inattention, but lacks impulsivity and hyperactivity.
Anti-Depressants: A class of medication designed to improve mood and behaviour by moderating chemicals in the brain, sometimes prescribed for ADHD care.
Anxiety: A condition that can co-exist with ADHD, typically presenting with apprehension, worry or fear about everyday situations.
Behaviour Therapy: A type of therapy where people are taught skills to help cope with their symptoms. Behavioural therapy is commonly used in ADHD treatment for both the child and the parents.
Clinical Trial: A part of a research study designed to test a new treatment, usually comparing it to one that has been done before.
Co-Morbidity/Co-Existing Condition: When two or more mental or physical health conditions are diagnosed in the same person. For example, a person may have ADHD and anxiety disorder.
Cognitive Restructuring: The process of changing negative thought patterns.
Conduct Disorder: A behavioural and emotional problem in children and adolescents presenting as deceitful or aggressive behaviour towards people, animals or property.
Executive Function: Refers to the mental processes that manage brain activities and help us get things done.
Hyperactivity: A symptom of ADHD characterized by constant movement, excessive fidgeting and talking.
Hyper Focus: An intense mental concentration on an event or topic.
Impulsivity: Acting with little or no thought to consequences.
Inattentive: Failure to pay attention to a task.
Individualized Education Plan (IEP): A document commonly used in school to describe the educational goals and methods of achieving them for children with disabilities.
Intervention: A process intended to modify an individual’s behaviour, cognition or emotional state.
Medication Holiday: A period of time when medication is stopped for evaluation or medical purposes. Should only be done with a qualified medical practitioner.
Multimodal Treatment: When multiple interventions are working together to treat a condition. In terms of ADHD, a multimodal approach is often most effective.
Negative Self-Talk: Negative inner dialogue that brings on unpleasant emotions, often damaging self-esteem.
Neurobehavioral: Referring to the relationship between the brain and behaviour.
Non-Stimulant Medication: A medication used to treat ADHD prescribed to those who don’t respond well or cannot tolerate traditional stimulant medication.
Peer Rejection: When someone is excluded in a social setting by their peers.
Planned Ignoring: A behavioural strategy designed to reduce inappropriate behaviours by ignoring negative behaviours.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: A behaviour therapy designed to improve symptoms of ADHD through parent skills training.
Response to Intervention (RTI): A prevention system used by schools to help improve student performance by identifying children who are at risk for learning failures and monitoring their progress.
Self-regulation: Managing your own behaviour with appropriate actions.
Stimulant Medication: Medication designed to increase activity in parts of the central nervous system which can help to improve symptoms of ADHD.