Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder without the Hyperactivity (ADD) is a condition of the brain that makes it difficult for children to control their behavior in school and social settings. This condition is also called by various names: hyperactivity, minimal brain dysfunction, minimal brain damage and hyperkinetic syndrome. In 1968 the name was changed to hyperkinectic, meaning wildly fast-paced or excited, reaction of childhood. The focus was on Hyperactive children who had a lot of trouble sitting still in the classroom and getting there work completed (Peter Jaska, Ph.D). In 1980's the name was changed to attention Deficit Disorder because it became recognized that severe attention problems and poor impulse control were characteristic as well. It also became clear that ADHD did not go away in childhood but continue through adulthood. As per Peter Jaska, Ph.D., President, National ADDA, they know now that this genetic, inherited condition is not due to brain damage at all but rather to a variation in how the brain functions. All of these condition terms describe a condition that affects a child's ability to concentrate, to learn and to maintain a normal level of activity. Peter Jaska, Ph.D., 1999 National ADDA.

A child with ADHD/ADD has difficulty finishing any activity that requires concentration, doesn't seem to listen, impulsive, restless even during sleep, calls out in class and has a hard time waiting his turn in games or groups. The symptoms of ADHD are grouped into two broad categories: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsive behavior. In general, children are said to have ADHD if they show six or more symptoms from each category for at least 6 months. These symptoms must significantly affect a child's ability to function in at least two social settings -- at home and at school. This helps ensure that the problem isn't with a particular teacher or only with parents. Children who have problems in school but get along well at home are not considered to have ADHD. In most children, symptoms appear between 4 and 6 years of age, although they sometimes may occur even earlier. Mayo clinic- Last Updated: May 18, 2001. Most children with ADHD don't have all the signs and symptoms of the disorder. Furthermore, symptoms may be different in boys and girls; boys are more likely to be hyperactive, and girls tend to be inattentive. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder is thought to be more common in boys than in girls, this disorder often develops before the age of seven but is most often diagnosed when the child is between ages eight and ten. (American Psychiatric Association). In addition, girls who have trouble paying attention often daydream, but inattentive boys are more likely to play or fiddle aimlessly. Boys also tend to be less compliant with teachers and other adults, so their behavior is often more conspicuous.

While studies of the effects of ADHD/ADD on children are important, there are many researchers who have suggested other theories. However, their validity has not been established. One theory was that all attention disorders and learning disabilities were caused by minor head injuries or undetectable damage to the brain, perhaps from early infection or complications at birth. Based on this theory, for many years both disorders were called "minimal brain damage" or "minimal brain dysfunction." Although certain types of head injury can explain some cases of attention disorder, the theory was rejected because it could explain only a very small number of cases. Not everyone with ADHD has a history of head trauma or birth complications. Another theory was that refined sugar and food additives make children hyperactive and inattentive. One of the most acclaimed of the Clinical Ecologists Dr. Doris Rapp. Dr Rapp is the author of many books on allergy and ADHD symptoms, including Is This Your Child? and Allergies and the Hyperactive Child. As a result, parents were encouraged to stop serving children foods containing artificial flavorings, preservatives, and sugars. However, this theory, too, came under question. In 1982, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal agency responsible for biomedical research, held a major scientific conference to discuss the issue. After studying the data, the scientists concluded that the restricted diet only seemed to help about 5 percent of children with ADHD, mostly either young children or children with food allergies.

What is it like to have ADHD "It's like driving in the rain with bad windshield wipers. Everything is smudge and blurred and you're speeding along, and it's reeeeally

frustrating not being able to see very well". How does it feel to have ADD? "Buzzing. Being here and there and everywhere". In ADD, time collapses. Time becomes a black hole. To a person with ADD it feels that everything is happening all at once, creating a sense of panic and inner turmoil always on the go to keep the world from caving in. (Edward M. Hllowell, M.D., 1992). Treatment usually includes behavioral therapy and emotional counseling combined with medications that correct neurochemical imbalances in the brain. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2000, Columbia University Press. "The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the U.S. Department of Justice, which treats methylphenidate as a controlled substance, reports that manufacturers' sales increased nearly five-fold between 1990 and 1998 and that the U.S. now consumes 90 percent of the methylphenidate produced throughout the world. While prescriptions for methylphenidate began leveling off between 1995 and 1997, prescriptions for amphetamines, which are also used to treat ADHD, tripled, so overall use of stimulant drugs has continued to rise. One reason for the increase is that more elementary-school children are remaining on those drugs into their teens." Methylphenidate, most commonly known as Ritalin, is a stimulant often prescribed to children with attention deficit disorder. Use of the drug has become controversial in recent years, with many parent and consumer groups upset over widespread use of the drug in very young children. SOURCE: Journal of American College Health 49:143-45, 2000.

Subtle structural abnormalities in the brain circuit that inhibits thoughts have been confirmed in the first comprehensive brain imaging study of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Three structures in the affected circuit on the right side of the brain -- prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus and globus pallidus -- were smaller than normal in the boys with ADHD, when examined as a group. The prefrontal cortex, located