The word 'hyperactivity' has become popular, and it is very common to say that a child is 'hyperactive' just because they are more restless than others. In fact, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a child neurodevelopmental disorder , with specific characteristics, which is more difficult to diagnose than is believed. It is estimated to affect between 10% and 15% of the school-age population. This is the theme of the Hospital da Luz Podcast with Bárbara Salgueiro , developmental pediatrician at the Center for Neurodevelopment and Behavior of Children and Adolescents at Hospital da Luz Lisboa. Google | iTunes | Spotify The word 'hyperactivity' is used to refer to one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder , also known only by its acronym, ADHD . ADHD is not 'a disease', as it is often said, but a neurobiological condition, a n eurodevelopmental disorder , recognized for many decades, which has been much discussed in recent years. In attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the main “problem” is not hyperactivity, motor restlessness, although the name, in European Portuguese, indicates so. If we think of the designation in other languages, the emphasis is always given to the attention deficit, because that is the characteristic that most negatively impacts the lives of children, youth, and adults. And we are not talking only from an academic point of view, but in all contexts of life. There are two groups of symptoms, those of inattention and those of hyperactivity/impulsivity, which manifest themselves in different proportions in each case. Thus, we can have, fundamentally, three subtypes, inattentive presentation, hyperactive/impulsive presentation and combined presentation. Again, it should be noted that hyperactivity symptoms never come on their own . Meet the developmental pediatrics clinical team from Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
