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Living with Attention Deficit Disorder Essay

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Living with Attention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a neurobiological disorder. Recent research shows that the symptoms of ADD are caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. (Rebecca Chapman Booth) With ADD there is a flaw in the way the brain manages the neurotransmitter production, storage or flow, causing imbalances. It has been suggested that as many as 80 percent of ADD cases are the result of genetics with the remainder caused by toxins, trauma or illness introduced during pregnancy, delivery or the newborn period and not,from poor parenting, family problems, poor teachers or schools, to much TV, food allergies, or excess sugar. It is important for people to understand that ADD is a real …show more content…

Experts at the National Institute of Mental Health, estimate that ADHD affects 3 to 5 percent of school age children and two to three times as many boys as girls. One child in a classroom of 20, is affected. This is not an epidemic, however the media likes to sensationalize ADHD, as if it were. If one person in a family is diagnosed with ADD, there is about a 25 percent probability that another person in the family also has some form of Attention Deficit Disorder". (Peter Jaksa, Ph.D.) Living with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) can be complex and no two individuals are exactly alike. Symptoms and problems are often unique and may vary in type, number and intensity from person to person. (Akron General) Some indicators suggestive of ADD are: Being easily distracted, forgetting things, procrastination, difficulties making decisions, verbal impulsiveness, expressing thoughts in speech or in writing, having periods of depression or low self esteem, frequently late or rushed, reading comprehension or retention, emotionally sensitive, easily upset, low frustration tolerance, easily bored, impulsive spending, personal or family history of substance abuse, depression or anxiety, strong need to have things their way and a intense need for excitement. Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD), the most common of the psychiatric disorders that appear in childhood, are often the subject of great concern on the

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