Alain Pouhet writes in his book Questions on dys-, answers that many children with ADHD (the "hyperactive" ones) are often noticed for behavioral problems (unlike children with ADD without hyperactivity who may have a severe attention disorder but are "well-behaved" and go unnoticed).

Dr. Pouhet regrets that the general public and many teachers view ADHD solely through the lens of hyperactivity. This simplistic approach opens the door to misconceptions such as hyperactivity = restlessness = badly behaved child.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological condition that can cause inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and other learning difficulties. Research suggests that ADHD is most likely caused by abnormalities in certain neurotransmitters or messengers in the brain, which then make the brain inefficient or sluggish in the areas that control impulses, filter sensory input, and focus attention.

When attention deficit disorder is structural, attention problems are long-standing and present in all situations and with all adults. However, if the task presented to the child is motivating, they are better able to control themselves and be available, but only for a short time, as it is costly in terms of attention and energy.

Parents of children with ADHD are often overwhelmed because hyperactivity makes these children difficult to raise (channel surfing, impulsiveness, forgetting instructions, constant restlessness, disorganization, sometimes oppositional defiant disorder). But the child is a victim of their symptoms… and parents who are poorly informed about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are also victims of what their child displays.

How can we best understand and support children with ADHD?

Realizing that the child is not doing it on purpose and is not a born provocateur is essential to changing our perspective on them.

Alain Pouhet offers several suggestions in his book for better understanding and supporting hyperactive children:

• drug treatment (always after a diagnosis by a professional – specialized AND hospital-based neuropediatricians or child psychiatrists – and consultation on a case-by-case basis when facilitating the child's school life fails or provides an insufficient response),

• cognitive-behavioral therapy,

• caring and empathetic parenting (caring parenting provides tools to defuse conflicts and cultivate children's emotional intelligence),

• cooperation between teachers, parents, and professionals based on relevant information in order to best adapt learning conditions.