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ADHD in Children | |
| What is ADHD? Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the name of a group of behaviors found in many children and adults. People with ADHD have a pattern of inattention (lack of attention) or hyperactivity (too much activity) and impulsiveness that is worse and more frequent than what is considered usual for their age. (Whether your child’s behavior is worse or more frequent than his or her peers can be difficult to assess. Your child’s teacher or principal can be very helpful in this assessment.) Many children with ADHD are both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive. Some children, though, may have only signs of inattention. This kind of problem used to be called attention-deficit disorder (ADHD). ADHD is now thought of as a form of ADHD. It is a common disorder that affects 1 in every 20 children, and it is more common in boys than in girls. How can I tell if my child has ADHD? The child with ADHD who is inattentive will have 6 or more of the following symptoms:
How long has your child been too active? Hyperactive children with ADHD have had problems with hyperactive, impulsive behavior since before age 6. Mothers of children with ADHD sometimes even remember that their baby was hyperactive in the womb. Also, children with ADHD are often described by their parents as having been fussy and difficult to quiet as babies. Is your child's restlessness and impulsivity a problem in several different settings? ADHD is less likely if your child only shows behavior problems at home, but not in other places, such as at school or at the grocery store. ADHD problems often become worse where there is more activity and noise. Children with ADHD show some of the signs of hyperactivity in several different settings, for example, in the classroom, on the playground, and at home watching TV. (Children with ADHD are often able to stay focused on the fast pace of cartoons and video games. But even though their eyes are on the screen, they're fidgeting with their arms and legs.) When your child is misbehaving, does he or she seem to be off in "another world"? Children with ADHD cannot control at least some of their hyperactive, impulsive behavior. Suspect ADHD if your child appears off in "another world" and does not respond to you when he or she is climbing or misbehaving in some way. In contrast, children who misbehave on purpose often will look to see how adults react to their misbehavior. Are you usually angry with your child or simply frustrated? Sometimes it's normal for parents to get angry with their children, especially when they misbehave on purpose. The hyperactivity of children with ADHD is irritating, but parents can sense that their child simply can't--as opposed to won't--sit still or quiet down. The parents feel more frustrated than angry. Can your child stick to activities, or is the house full of unfinished games and projects? Children with ADHD often lose interest in an activity in 5 minutes--or even less. They go from one activity to another, and another and another. You may ask your child many times to clean up, but he or she will not even be able to focus long enough to do that! Has disciplining your child worked? Parents of children with ADHD usually have "tried everything"--from ignoring their child's misbehavior, to "time-outs," to spanking--but nothing seems to work. What causes ADHD? Experts have investigated genetic and environmental causes for ADHD. Some children may inherit a biochemical condition, which influences the expression of ADHD symptoms. Other children may acquire the condition due to abnormal fetal development, which has subtle effects on brain regions that control attention and movement. People used to think that ADHD was the result of some type of brain damage. We now know that the brain structure of children with ADHD is normal, but the chemistry in the brain isn’t normal. Recent research based on genetic mechanisms has focused on dopamine as the primary neurotransmitter involved in ADHD. Dopamine pathways in the brain, which link the basal ganglia and frontal cortex, appear to play a major role in ADHD. This may be a genetic problem. Children with ADHD do not make enough chemicals in key areas in the brain that are responsible for organizing thought. Without enough of these chemicals, the organizing centers of the brain don’t work well. Recently, scientists using brain imaging have localized areas in the brain involved in ADHD, and have found that areas in the frontal lobe and basal ganglia are reduced by about 10 percent in size and activity in ADHD children. This causes the symptoms in children with ADHD. ADHD isn’t caused by bad parenting, but a disorganized home life and school environment can make the symptoms worse. ADHD isn’t caused by a diet that contains too much sugar, too little sugar, aspartame (Nutrasweet®), food Additives or colorings, food allergies or other allergies, or a lack of vitamins. However, I believe that problems with diet can very much affect someone with ADHD. ADHD also isn’t caused by too much TV, fluorescent lights or video games. Will my child outgrow ADHD? We used to think children would “grow out” of ADHD. We now know that is not true for most children. Children with ADHD get better as they grow older. Many learn to adjust for their problems. Hyperactivity usually stops in the late teenage years. But about half of children with ADHD continue to be easily distracted, with wide mood swings, hot tempers and an inability to complete tasks. Children with loving, supportive parents who work together with school staff, mental health workers and their doctor have the best chance of becoming well-adjusted adults. |
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This site is for information only. It is not intended to replace consultation with your physician.