What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurological disorder. A simpler way of saying it is that ADHD is a disorder of the nervous system.

Types of ADHD
ADHD is not always the same for everyone who has it. It can be mild or more severe and it can come in three different types. The type you have depends on the symptoms or problems that you have.

Symptoms of ADHD
The three major symptoms of ADHD, or things that children with ADHD may have trouble with are:

• Paying attention
• Staying still (this is called hyperactivity)
• Stopping to think before they do things (this is called impulsivity)

How Does ADHD Affect Kids?
ADHD can affect children in many different ways. Some of these ways are:

• Feeling like your thoughts are racing
• Not being able to stop your brain from switching channels
• Having a brain that likes to daydream
• Getting distracted easily
• Not being being able to finish your work
• Trouble with printing and writing
• Putting things off that you need to do
• Losing things
• Trouble sleeping
• Staying still
• Not being able to slow down and think before you do things
• Getting angry and frustrated more than other kids

How did I get ADHD?
ADHD is usually something that you are born with. It is not something you can catch or chose to have.

Medication
Medication is not magic. It does not cure ADHD or make it go away for good. Medication just makes it easier for people with ADHD to do the things that they need to do. Medication can help you to pay attention in school and stop day dreaming all the time and if can also help you to slow yourself down, if you react too fast. Some kids who move around all the time, say it helps them to stay still, when really you need to.

Other things that help?
There are many other things that you and the people around you can do, besides medication, that will help with your ADHD. Some of these are:

• Learning all you can about ADHD
• Talking to your parents and teachers about your feelings
• Having a schedule so you know what to do when
• Working as a team with your parents and teachers
• Using strategies at home to help you get things done and help everyone get along better at home
• Having the school make changes for you to help you learn and get your work done at School

How Do I Tell my Friends about ADHD?
Telling your friends about ADHD can be a good thing. It will help them to understand you better. There are books and videos you can show them, or your parents can help you to explain.