ADHD is a very common neurodevelopment disorder of childhood. It is usually diagnosed in late childhood, around the age of seven by the teachers. The symptoms are typical during ages 3-6 and if not treated properly becomes chronic and persists even after entering adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, staying organized and controlling impulsive behaviors. It is very difficult to diagnose and when undiagnosed the children can grow to be mislabeled as trouble makers in their adulthood.
Heredity is a big one, ADHD tends to run in the family through generations. Other causes of the disorder include chemical imbalances in the brain or changes to areas of the brain that control attention. It can also happen from poor nutrition, infections, smoking, drinking, and substance abuse during pregnancy which can affect baby’s brain development. Toxins such as lead may affect the child's brain development. A brain injury or brain disorder in the frontal lobe of the brain can also cause ADHD
Symptoms for boys stands out more than girls. Boys with ADHD are more often act out in class than girls (Griffin, M. (n.d.).). Boys show symptoms like blurting out, pushing, and can’t sit still. Girls symptoms include being withdrawn, nonstop talking, speaking out of turn, disorganization, and overly emotional (Griffin, M. (n.d.)). Boys symptoms with ADHD tend to physical, whereas in girls symptoms are more emotional and mental. They both share some similar symptoms like trouble focusing, and staying on task. Males with ADHD get diagnosed at younger ages than females. Boys get diagnosed around the age of 7, where girls get diagnose until the age 12 (Griffin, M. (n.d.).). According to research about 75 percent of girl with ADHD are undiagnosed (Griffin, M. (n.d.)). By paying close attention to females who may have symptoms of ADHS, can help girls get diagnosed by sooner than later.
There is no actual cause for ADHD though it is linked to heredity and other neurological factors, for instance, pregnancy and birth complications. In addition, food intake is not the source of ADHD and removing specific food items only benefit some children (from the ages four to seven).
(“ADD”) (Kinman). This is because children with ADHD have a lower brain volume than children who do not, especially in regions of the brain responsible for attention and emotion (Kinman). Dopamine and norepinephrine are neurotransmitters that help send messages between areas of brain associated with attention and motivation. The brain of a person with ADHD may have less of these chemicals available. This may explain why someone with ADHD has trouble paying attention or performing repetitive tasks. (Kinman) When people with ADHD are prescribed methylphenidate (a stimulant), it helps increase the amount of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. This increase in the level of neurotransmitters seems to improve attentiveness and motivation. Inattentive type symptoms include daydreaming, becoming easily confused, having difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others, seeming not to listen when spoken to, and more. Hyperactive-impulsive type symptoms may include fidgeting, talking nonstop, have trouble sitting still for sustained periods of time, being very impatient and
The symptoms can often start during the early ages of a child’s life and continue on into adulthood, but symptoms do not always show at a young age(“Treatment”). Some symptoms for inattention include not being able to keep focus during conversations, lectures, or lengthy reading, not listening when one is directly spoken to, not following through with tasks such as school work, getting easily sidetracked, forgetting things throughout the day, and having problems organizing things(“NIMH”). Some signs of hyperactivity could include fidgeting in their seats, talking non stop, blurting out randomly, interrupting in conversations, and constantly being on the go(“NIMH”). Some people could show more symptoms of inattention, and some could show more of hyperactivity, it just depends. ADHD can be mistaken for emotional or disciplinary problems, and also for other disorders that have similar
Theory suggests that ADHD is caused by a neurological and chemical deficiency that affects the development of the central nervous system. It is believed that this lack of development directly affects the part of the brain responsible for concentration. ADHD is also believed to be partly due to
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder otherwise known as ADHD is a common condition that affects kids and can continue into adulthood. Some of the effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are problems paying attention, unable to follow directions, and easily bored or frustrated with any tasks. These types of behaviors are generally common in children, but they occur more often than usual and are more severe in children with ADHD. The behaviors that are common with ADHD interfere with a child's ability to function at school and at home when they need to be paying attention. Adults with ADHD have a difficult time with organizational skills, goal setting, time management, and employment. They may also have problems with relationships, self-esteem, and addictions.
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), a mental illness in which every American thinks they seem to have at times. Many people seem to think they have ‘ADHD brain’ or say they are ‘so ADHD’. ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental disorder which is characterized by the DSM-V as impairing one's attention, shifting tasks constantly, and displaying hyperactive behavior (European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of Adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD). Although some people seem to think ADHD is just something kids experience nowadays, recent research is showing perhaps ADHD is a product of natural selection, and at one time needed to survive
ADHD is a chronic condition that forms after the infancy of a person will often continue onto adulthood (every two out of three ADHD kids will still have ADHD in adulthood). ADHD is short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and, as the name suggests, will cause patients to be extremely inattentive and hyperactive, and in many cases even impulsive. This mental condition is very much well known in the general populace, although its important facts might not be as well known by the masses. Here are some facts about this chronic disorder known as ADHD-
There is no actually medical cause of ADHD but there are many factors that can play a role in if a child will develop ADHD. A history of ADHD in parents and family can be a strong predictor if the child will have the disorder. Research also shows that children who are born prematurely or had low birth weights run a higher risk of developing ADHD. According to Denise Boyd and Helen Bee, there are many complex factors for each case.
The brain is an electrical system that communicates with other subsystems within our brains to get the smallest to the most complex things done and our brains do this constantly. This system operates on low voltage electrical impulses that carry messages from one tiny neuron to another in fractions of a second, these neurons are not physically connected; there are gaps at each point of connection and to get messages from one neuron to another, an electrical message needs to jump the gap (Brown, 2013). So, essentially children with ADHD cannot release these chemicals or they don’t jump the gap fast enough to get transmitted properly. While these factors may make the child's symptoms increase in duration or they may get worse, they are not the root cause. There are multiple possible causes that scientists are constantly researching but it still remains that researchers do not know the cause of ADHD.
Children with ADHD may be hyperactive and unable control their impulses. Or they may have trouble paying attention. These behaviors interfere with school and home life.
Doctors and researchers are still not sure why some people have ADHD. Researchers show that the disorder of ADHD probably genetic and that it may be inherited. Scientists are also exploring other things that may be associated with ADHD. It is usually first diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood. ADHD is more common in kids who
Scientists are studying causes and risk factors that might contribute to the development of ADHD in an attempt to better control and reduce the chances of a person having the disorder. Researchers who study the brain are coming closer to understanding what may cause ADHD. They believe that some people with ADHD don’t have enough of certain chemicals, called neurotransmitter, in the brain. These chemicals help the brain control behavior. However the exact or precise cause of the disorder remains unknown.