Your child should have a complete medical examination by your pediatrician or family physician. You should also contact a professional that can conduct tests to evaluate your child's abilities and learning style to determine if the symptoms you are seeing might be the result of an undetected learning disability.

There is no single treatment for ADD/ADHD. The treatment plan must be individualized for each child. A comprehensive approach is the key to success. Medication is helpful for many individuals diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, but is best managed by a specialist in this area, such as a physician or child psychiatrist who has training and expertise in treating attention disorders. Proper medication therapy improves attention span, controls impulsivity, dampens restlessness, improves school performance, decreases aggression and enhances the quality of family life. Behavior modification techniques have also been effective, as have individual and family counseling. Whatever treatment a family chooses, it must be one which touches all aspects of the child's life -- his/her self-perception, school, and home life. Children with ADD/ADHD are particularly in need of support and encouragement. Since academics are frequently difficult for them, they must find other avenues to build self-esteem, such as sports, art, music or other special interests.