ADHD is a disorder that affects both adults and children throughout the United States. It is actually one of the most common childhood disorders. I have actually witnessed people with this disorder and was interested on how differently they behave, what kind of treatment they need and how it is diagnosed. ADHD, also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common childhood disorders that can carry on through adolescence and adulthood (Thomas Insel, 2013). In 2011, 11% of children were diagnosed with ADHD in the United States and has increased every year by 3% from 1997 to 2006 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015). ADHD was originally called ADD which stands for attention deficit disorder but, was …show more content…
Many scientists are not sure on how ADHD caused. Most say this disease is genetic. One way genetics plays a role in ADHD is mainly located in the brain tissue which scientists claim, can appear thinner in the area of the brain that is used for attention. In some cases, a child can have ADHD but outgrow it as the brain begins to further develop into adulthood. Smoking and drinking while pregnant could have a possible link to ADHD. Also, children who are exposed to high levels of lead have a high risk of developing ADHD (WebMD, 2015). Lastly, another way a child can be diagnosed with ADHD is by head injury. Symptoms that can help identify as early as the age of 4. This is because around this age, children are able to be enrolled into school and they are able to notice if a child is especially active or impulsive if not both. When diagnosing ADHD, pediatricians look for 3 signs, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Inattention is when the child is; easily distracted, has difficulty focusing, daydream, or cannot seem to listen, just to name a few(Thomas Insel, 2013). Hyperactivity is when; the child talks nonstop, squirm in their seats, are able to play or touch anything and everything in their sight, have trouble sitting still, have a lot of energy and are unable to do quiet activities (Thomas Insel, 2013). Lastly, impulsivity is when; the children are very impatient, interrupt conversations, and are inappropriate with their emotions and actions (Thomas
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder involving behavioral and cognitive aspects of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity (Ciccarelli, S.). This disorder is most common mental disorder in children. ADHD gets diagnosed at a young age and continues in some cases into adulthood. Although in most cases children who are diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, normally grow out of it by the time they become adults. It is estimated that 2.5 percent of adults and 5 percent children have ADHD (What Is ADHD). In numerous studies on ADHD in genders, boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD (What Is ADHD). Symptoms of ADHD show different
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
Families who have children with ADHD often experience much higher anxiety and stress levels. A large number of children, almost half, will exhibit signs of ADHD by the age of four. However, most children are not diagnosed until he or she reaches elementary school. The behaviors that are associated with ADHD in children put them at risk for a host of other problems and complications such as completing their education, alcohol and other drug abuse, and an increased risk for delinquency. There has been much research on ADHD in recent years and many different types of medications and interventions have proven to be quite helpful. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, children with ADHD can learn to cope with the daily demands of the classroom, social situations, family interactions, and life in general.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly referred to as simply ADHD, is the most commonly diagnosed disorder among American children today. According to the National Institute on Mental Health an estimated 3 to 5 percent of school age children are affected by this disorder. (1) There are more diagnosed cases of ADHD of in the United States than there are anywhere in the world. The main symptoms of ADHD include "developmentally inappropriate levels of attention, concentration, activity, distractibility, and impulsivity." (1) While the number of people diagnosed with ADHD increases dramatically every year, there is still much about the disorder that is not
Eisenberg & Esser 1997; Moghadm & Fagan, 1994 have stated ADHD has gone through a series of names since it was first documented in 1845 including “restless syndrome,” “minimal brain dysfunction,” and “hyperkinetic reaction disorder.” “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has become the most widely diagnosed psychiatric condition among children in the United States (Glass, 2001).” The CDC’s website digs deep for evidence being presented while gaining emotional appeal for its credibility as a government agency.
ADHD is a medical condition that occurs in the brain, that affects how well someone can sit still, focus and pay attention. ADHD was first mentioned in 1902 by Sir George Still. He described it as “an abnormal defect of moral control in children”. He found that some affected children couldn’t control their behavior like a typical child could, but they were still intelligent. It was then named hyperkinetic impulse disorder. In the late 1960’s, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally recognize ADHD as a mental disorder.
What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a mental disorder most commonly diagnosed in children. Children with ADHD are usually recognized by certain behaviors such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inability to pay attention. All of these behaviors restrict the child’s home and school life. Children with ADHD are known to be unmanageable and difficult at times. When we as adults see a child who is acting rambunctious and cannot sit still, we are quick to pass judgement and think “that child has ADHD.” How much do we really know about ADHD until it affects us personally? According to research starters,
The exact causes of attention deficit disorder are not known, although many studies show that genes play a major role. Like many other disorders, ADHD may be a result of multiple factors. In addition to
Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) generally are diagnosed when they have problems paying attention or concentrating. Usual signs begin when the child enters his or her first few years of
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects school aged children with a high degree of inattention, excessive hyperactivity, impulsivity or a combination of any of these. In order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD, there must be two different environments in which the child has displayed his or her symptoms and it must occur before the child is twelve years of age (Halter, 2014). Children have a high comorbidity level with developmental, learning and psychiatric problems. There are three types of ADHD; inattentive type, hyperactive-impulsive type and combination type. With inattentive type the child displays disorganization, is unable to complete tasks, becomes easily bored, and
In regards to risk factors, there are many factors that can contribute to ADHD such as genes, smoking, alcohol, or drug use and exposure to environmental toxins during pregnancy, exposure to environmental toxins at a young age, low birth weight, and brain injuries. ADHD is also more common in males than in females. Females who suffer with the disorder are more likely to have inattention
Because algae population of children have been relativity diagnosed with ADHD, extensive research had been conducted on the causes and effects of this disorder. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), is a childhood disorder and can also continued formative years and maturity. ADHD is a brain condition that affects between eleven percent of children in the population aged four to seventeen have been diagnosed. ADHD involves difficulty with paying attention to information giving to them in school. Children deal with a serious impairment in academic, social and interpersonal functioning. Clinical studies make it clear that symptoms of ADHD are heterogeneous and subtile in adults than in children. Generally the symptoms of ADHD affects
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, is a behavior disability that affects children from 6-12 years of age and continues to show symptoms later in their adult life. Even though large amounts of the population are affected by ADHD, it is still unknown as to what the exact cause of ADHD. Depending on what type of diagnostic is used, there are anywhere from 1-2% to 6-7% of children around the world that have ADHD. Even though the exact cause of ADHD is not known, there are many people that believe that it is a combination of genetics and environment. ADHD is currently unable to be cured, but there are several treatment plans that work to combat the symptoms and help children maintain focus in a classroom. Many of these
The primary features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood.
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and it is a condition of the brain, which results in a persistent pattern of behaviours that interferes with development or functioning in several environments (ADHD Institute, 2016). This disorder is a common chronic condition diagnosed in childhood, however it can continue on into adolescence and adulthood (Donnelly, 2016). This disorder is diagnosed more often in boys than in girls since boys display more overt or noticeable symptoms, like hyperactivity, and girls commonly exhibit more covert symptoms, such as inattention (Lerner & Johns, 2012).