Hyperactive includes many of the stereotypical behaviors associated with ADHD such as constant fidgeting, shifting or moving, difficulty staying seated in class, and the inability to stay focused on one task. Impulsive is characterized by a tendency to act before thinking about consequences.
A popular misconception is that all children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are naturally smarter and have a higher IQ than children without ADHD. However, there is no correlation between this condition and intelligence.
Gifted children often are asked “If you're so good at doing that, why can't you do this?” Gifted children with ADHD often show heightened intensity and sensitivity, but they are set up to fail in a system that only recognizes and expects intellectual proclivity without consideration of their emotional needs.
There is significant overlap of characteristics among people with ADHD, high IQ, and creativity — like curiosity, impatience, high energy, low tolerance for boredom, charisma, nonconformity, risk-taking, and resistance to authority.
Frequently, bright children have been referred to psychologists or pediatricians because they exhibited certain behaviors (e.g., restlessness, inattention, impulsivity, high activity level, day-dreaming) commonly associated with a diagnosis of ADHD.
High-functioning ADHD doesn't just mean you can manage to live an average life. Some people with high-functioning ADHD do that and more — they go on to be highly successful.
Misdiagnosis is not uncommon when high IQ and ADHD collide. Very bright children who are also highly active are sometimes misdiagnosed with ADHD. On the other hand, some highly intelligent children with ADHD can focus on things that interest them for an extended period of time, which can lead to misdiagnosis as well.
The child may be both gifted and have ADHD, which presents as an inconsistent (or even average) performance across school subjects. It can be difficult to correctly address a common situation like this even for experienced teachers.
These may include hyperfocus, resilience, creativity, conversational skills, spontaneity, and abundant energy. Many people view these benefits as “superpowers” because those with ADHD can hone them to their advantage. People with ADHD have a unique perspective that others may find interesting and valuable.
High IQ may “mask” the diagnosis of ADHD by compensating for deficits in executive functions in treatment-naïve adults with ADHD.
ADHD student strengths often include a high level of creativity and innovation. ADHD students often have an outstanding ability to think outside the box and come up with unique solutions to problems. They are also often highly empathetic and intuitive, with a deep understanding of others' emotions and needs.
Hyperactivity and impulsivity
A child who shows a pattern of hyperactive and impulsive symptoms may often: Fidget with or tap his or her hands or feet, or squirm in the seat. Have difficulty staying seated in the classroom or in other situations. Be on the go, in constant motion.
ADHD is not on the autism spectrum, but they have some of the same symptoms. And having one of these conditions increases the chances of having the other. Experts have changed the way they think about how autism and ADHD are related.
When do signs of giftedness appear? Signs of giftedness can appear as early as infancy and continue during the toddler and preschool years. Testing for giftedness and high IQ, however, usually takes place around age 5.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do.
Yes! Students who have ADHD can get good grades and achieve their goals. Even if you've been diagnosed with ADHD, you can be a great student with great grades.
Can someone with ADHD do well in school? Yes! ADHDers are more than capable of academic success. They may need to work harder than others in order to achieve a good outcome, but that doesn't mean it's impossible.
There are some well-known very high-achieving ADHD entrepreneurs including Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Walt Disney. Richard Branson had no interest in anything academic. Still, once he was able to harness his talents and imagination in his own way, he began to build a phenomenal business empire.
They keep their things fairly organized and try to avoid making a mess. But many kids and adults with ADHD are the opposite — they're messy most of the time. And it can cause problems at home, school, and work. For example, kids might miss a field trip because the permission slip got lost in their overflowing backpack.
If you hide your adult ADHD symptoms from other people, that's called masking. Basically, you're trying to seem more “normal” or “regular.” ADHD causes some people to act hyperactive or impulsive. It makes other folks have trouble paying attention. And still other adults have a combination of those symptoms.
Processing verbal information presents challenges for individuals with ADHD. Children with this condition often miss important facts while conversing because their brains can't filter out external distractions. This can cause them to misinterpret the situation and become confused or reactive.
While you're probably aware that people with ADHD have trouble focusing on tasks that aren't interesting to them, you may not know that there's another side: a tendency to become absorbed in tasks that are stimulating and rewarding. This paradoxical symptom is called hyperfocus.