ADHD is a neurologically based disorder affecting impulsivity, hyperactivity, boredom, and inattention. The reticular activating system in the brain may malfunction, causing hyperactivity as an attempt to maintain alertness. ADHD is more common in boys, runs in families, and is often diagnosed in the US. Stimulant drugs are commonly used as an intervention strategy. ADHD affects about 3% of adults and 5% of children, but 50 to 60% of children will outgrow it by their twenties.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a diagnostic term given to children and adults who have problems in four main areas of their lives. These four areas are impulsivity, hyperactivity, boredom and inattention. ADHD is a neurologically based disorder.
The lower part of the brain houses an area known as the reticular activating system. This system in the brain keeps the higher brain centers alert and ready for input. With ADHD, there is some evidence that this particular area is malfunctioning and that the brain seems to go to sleep. Hyperactivity is the brain’s attempt to stimulate activity and maintain alertness.
Other areas of the brain can also be affected. These include the inhibitory mechanisms of the cortex and frontal lobes. Each of these particular areas of the brain is associated with a variety of different functions.
There has been some controversy surrounding the diagnosis of ADHD as a neurological condition. Many experts say there is no evidence whatsoever that ADHD is neurological, as no medical tests have been done to diagnose the deficiency. Furthermore, the encapsulated criteria are too broad to make a specific diagnosis.
There are a number of factors that are quite common in ADHD sufferers. The condition appears to run in families and there are connections with families who have a history of depression and/or alcoholism. Asthma may be more common among ADHD sufferers and affected children often display remarkable artistic skills, but may also show difficulty writing or drawing.
ADHD is five to seven times more common in boys than girls and occurs at all levels of intelligence. The condition is more commonly diagnosed in the United States than in Europe. Stimulant drugs are most commonly used in America as an intervention strategy.
ADHD comes in a variety of forms. It can be divided into two categories, inattention disorder and impulsive-hyperactive disorder, or a combination of the two. The term attention deficit order with or without hyperactivity has recently been used to describe the condition. No two people with ADHD or attention deficit disorder (ADD) are exactly alike.
About 35% of all children who are referred to mental health clinics are referred with ADHD. The condition affects about 3% of adults and 5% of children. It is thought that 50 to 60 percent of children will outgrow ADHD by the time they reach their twenties.
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