Alternate Names: Activity - increased; Hyperkinetic behavior; Hyperactive

Considerations: Hyperactive behavior commonly refers to a group of characteristics. This includes aggressiveness, constant activity, easy distractibility, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, and similar behaviors.

Typical behaviors may include fidgeting or constant moving, wandering, excessive talking, difficulty participating in "quiet" activities such as reading, and similar behaviors.

Hyperactivity is not easily defined because it often depends on the tolerance of the observer. Behavior that seems excessive to one observer may not seem excessive to another.

Hyperkinetic behavior ("a very active child") often decreases as the child grows older, and disappears by adolescence.

Common Causes:

• attention deficit disorder
• emotional disorders
• brain or central nervous system disorders
• normal personality

Home Care: A child who is normally very active often responds well to specific directions and a program of regular physical activity.

Call If:

• your child seems persistently hyperactive.
• your child is very active, and is also aggressive and impulsive, and has difficulty concentrating, or has other symptoms.

What To Expect: The medical history will be obtained and a physical examination performed. There may also be a review of the home and school environments.

Medical history questions documenting hyperactivity in detail may include:

• time pattern
  • Is this a new behavior for the child or has the child always been very active?
  • Is the behavior getting worse?
• quality
  • What exactly have you noticed?
  • Is the child physically active?
  • Is the child easily distracted?
  • Does the child have trouble following directions?
• aggravating and relieving factors
  • Have you noticed anything that makes the child more or less active?
  • Is the child more active when at school than when at home?
• other
  • What other symptoms are present?