Definition of ADHD
What the Research Shows
Treatment of ADHD
Important Disclaimer - Please Read This:
The following information is not intended to provide any type
of professional advice nor diagnostic service. If you have any
concerns about ADHD or other health issues, please consult a
qualified health care professional in your community.
Fact sheet on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD)
Is It ADD? Or ADHD? What's The Difference?
The difference is mainly one of terminology, which can be confusing
at times. The "official" clinical diagnosis is Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. In turn, ADHD is broken
down into three different subtypes: Combined Type, Predominantly
Inattentive Type, and Predominantly hyperactive-Impulsive Type.
Many people use the term ADD as a generic term for all types
of ADHD. The term ADD has gained popularity among the general
public, in the media, and is even commonly used among professionals.
Whether we call it ADD or ADHD, however, we are all basically
referring to the same thing.
Who Has ADHD?
According to epidemiological data, approximately 4% to 6% of
the U.S. population has ADHD. ADHD usually persists throughout
a person's lifetime. It is NOT limited to children. Approximately
one-half to two-thirds of children with ADHD will continue to
have significant problems with ADHD symptoms and behaviors as
adults, which impacts their lives on the job, within the family,
and in social relationships.
Definition
Of ADHD:
ADHD is a diagnosis applied to children and adults who consistently
display certain characteristic behaviors over a period of time.
The most common core features include:
•distractibility (poor sustained attention to tasks)
•impulsivity (impaired impulse control and delay of gratification)
•hyperactivity (excessive activity and physical restlessness)
In order to meet diagnostic criteria, these behaviors must
be excessive, long-term, and pervasive. The behaviors must appear
before age 7, and continue for at least six months. A crucial
consideration is that the behaviors must create a real handicap
in at least two areas of a person's life, such as school, home,
work, or social settings. These criteria set ADHD apart from
the "normal" distractibility and impulsive behavior
of childhood, or the effects of the hectic and overstressed
lifestyle prevalent in our society.
According to the DSM-IV (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual
of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) some common symptoms of
ADHD include:
• often fails to give close attention to details or makes
careless mistakes
• often has difficulty sustaining attention to tasks;
often does not seem to listen when
spoken to directly
• often fails to follow instructions carefully and completely
• losing or forgetting important things
• feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet,
or squirming;
running or climbing excessively
• often talks excessively; often blurts out answers before
hearing the whole question;
often has difficulty awaiting turn
Please keep in mind that the exact nature and severity of ADHD
symptoms varies from person to person. Approximately one-third
of people with ADHD do not have the hyperactive or overactive
behavior component, for example.
What
The Research Shows About ADHD:
ADHD is NOT caused by poor parenting, family problems, poor
teachers or schools, too much TV, food allergies, or excess
sugar. One early theory was that attention disorders were caused
by minor head injuries or damage to the brain, and thus for
many years ADHD was called "minimal brain damage"
or "minimal brain dysfunction." The vast majority
of people with ADHD have no history of head injury or evidence
of brain damage, however. Another theory, which is still heard
in the media, is that refined sugar and food additives make
children hyperactive and inattentive. Scientists at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH) concluded that this may apply to
only about 5 percent of children with ADHD, mostly either very
young children or children with food allergies.
ADHD IS very likely caused by biological factors which influence
neurotransmitter activity in certain parts of the brain, and
which have a strong genetic basis. Studies at NIMH using a PET
(positron emission tomography) scanner to observe the brain
at work have shown a link between a person's ability to pay
continued attention and the level of activity in the brain.
Specifically researchers measured the level of glucose used
by the areas of the brain that inhibit impulses and control
attention. In people with ADHD, the brain areas that control
attention used less glucose, indicating that they were less
active. It appears from this research that a lower level of
activity in some parts of the brain may cause inattention and
other ADHD symptoms.
There is a great deal of evidence that ADHD runs in families,
which is suggestive of genetic factors. If one person in a family
is diagnosed with ADHD, there is a 25% to 35% probability that
any other family member also has ADHD, compared to a 4% to 6%
probability for someone in the general population.
Treatment
of ADHD:
Clinical experience has shown that the most effective treatment
for ADHD is a combination of medication (when necessary), therapy
or counseling to learn coping skills and adaptive behaviors,
and ADD coaching.
Medication is often used to help normalize brain activity,
as prescribed by a physician. Stimulant medications (Ritalin,
Dexedrine, Adderall, Strattera) are commonly used because they
have been shown to be most effective for most people with ADHD.
However, many other medications may also be used at the discretion
of the physician.
Behavior therapy and cognitive therapy are often helpful to
modify certain behaviors and todeal with the emotional effects
of ADHD. Many adults also benefit from working with an ADHD
coach to help manage problem behaviors and develop coping skills,
such as improving organizational skills and improving productivity.
ADHD is recognized as a disability under federal legislation
(the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the Americans With Disabilities
Act; and the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act). Appropriate
and reasonable accommodations are sometimes made at school for
children with ADHD, and in the workplace for adults with ADHD,
which help the individual to work more efficiently and productively.
ADD
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