What are the inattentive, impulsive, hyperactive, and disruptive symptoms in persons with Down syndrome?
How are they diagnosed and treated? Children/adults with Down syndrome often have significant processing difficulties and present with a very remarkable difficulty in sustaining attention on tasks. In children with greater cognitive and receptive-expressive language deficits, especially for younger age groups, the difficulties in attention are often accompanied with impulsive and hyperactive behaviors. This pattern of inattention, impulsivity and motor hyperactivity is consistent with a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. For this reason, many children with such characteristic behaviors are treated with stimulant medications. The response of children/adults with Down syndrome has not yielded encouraging results. In a sub-population of children/adults with Down syndrome there is a definite adverse behavioral activation in response to these medications. The most commonly observed adverse effects include: irritability, agitation, aggressive behaviors, transitional anxie
