Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
ADHD is associated with challenges of inattention/focus & hyperactivity. The executive function of the brain is affected and can result in symptoms which may include include:
Challenged focus/Inattention, hyperactivity, impulse control, organization, decision making, short term memory. ADHD is often diagnosed in childhood but also affects adults. Interventions to manage ADHD are often successful and help increase productivity in individual.
Symptoms of ADHD will persist for longer than 6 months, and sufferers will have trouble controlling the associated behaviors and will show them more frequently as compared to non ADHD individuals. Symptoms may include many/all of the following:
- Poor ability to focus/sustain attention
- Inability/challenges to follow directions
- Not listening or paying attention when spoken to
- Distractability/challenges with staying on task, prioritizing/following through/completing tasks.
- Gets bored easily
- Trouble remembering things
- Poor follow through, such as-completing or turning in assignments
- Losing/keeping track of things
- Daydreaming or wandering with lack of motivation
- Difficulty processing information quickly
Symptoms of hyperactivity:
- Fidgeting ,squirming, trouble sitting still
- Continuous talking
- Touching or playing with everything
- Difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.
Symptoms of Impulsiveness:
- Impatience
- Carelessness/recklessness, disregard for consequences
- blurting things out
- Difficulty taking turns, waiting or sharing
- Interrupting
Causes
There are several factors believed to contribute to ADHD:
- Genetics. Research suggests genetics to be a large contributing piece of ADHD. It often runs in families affecting the executive functioning within the prefrontal cortex of the brain
- Environmental factors. Studies show a link between cigarette smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy and children who have ADHD. Exposure to lead as a child has also been shown to increase the presence of ADHD in children.
Diagnosis
ADHD occurs in both children and adults, but is most often diagnosed in childhood. Getting a diagnosis for ADHD can sometimes be difficult because the symptoms of ADHD are similar to typical behavior in most young children. Teachers are often the first to notice ADHD symptoms because they see children in a learning environment with peers every day. The goal is to rule out any outside causes for symptoms, such as environmental changes, difficulty in school, medical problems and ensure that a child is otherwise healthy.
Treatment
ADHD is managed and treated in several ways:
- Medications that may include stimulants, non-stimulants/ antidepressants
- Behavioral therapy
- Education programs/support
Related Conditions
It is common for other conditions to co-occur with ADHD, such as:
- Learning disabilities
- Oppositional defiant disorder: refusal behaviors and failure to accept to accept adult directives/follow rules
- Conduct disorder, persistent destructive or violent behaviors
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Bipolar Disorder
- Tourette's syndrome
- Sleep disorders
- Bed-wetting
- Substance abuse
Other co-ocurring conditions make identifying/treating ADHD more challenging. A skilled professional can establish a diagnosis/provide effective treatment.