Brief Description:
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Hyperkinetic Disorder, is a neurobehavioural developmental disorder affecting about 5% of the world's population. It typically presents itself during childhood, and is characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity, as well as forgetfulness, poor impulse control or impulsivity, and distractibility
Signs & Symptoms:
The most common symptoms of ADHD are distractibility, difficulty with concentration and focus, short term memory slippage, procrastination, problems organizing ideas and belongings, tardiness, impulsivity, and weak planning and execution. Not all people with ADD have all the symptoms. Most ordinary people exhibit some of these behaviors but not to the point where they seriously interfere with the person's work, relationships, or studies or cause anxiety or depression. Children do not often have to deal with deadlines, organization issues, and long term planning so these types of symptoms often become evident only during adolescence or adulthood when life demands become greater. Hyperactivity is common among children with ADHD but tends to disappear during adulthood. However over half of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms of inattention throughout their lives.
Causes:
According to a majority of medical research in the United States, as well as other countries, ADHD is today generally regarded as a chronic disorder for which there are some effective treatments, but no true cure. Evidence suggests that hyperactivity has a strong heritable component, and in all probability ADHD is a heterogeneous disorder, meaning that several causes could create very similar symptomology. Researchers believe that a large majority of ADHD arises from a combination of various genes, many of which affect dopamine transporters
Diagnosis:
Many of the symptoms of ADHD occur from time to to time in everyone. In those with ADHD the frequency of these symptoms occur frequently and impair regular life functioning typically at school or at work. Not only will they perform poorly in task oriented settings but they will also have difficulty with social functioning with their peers. No objective physical test exists to diagnose ADHD in a patient. As with many other psychiatric and medical disorders, the formal diagnosis is made by a qualified professional in the field based on a set number of criteria. In the USA these critera are laid down by the American Psychiatric Association in their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Based on the DSM-IV criteria listed below, three types of ADHD are classified:
· 1. ADHD, Combined Type: if both criteria 1A and 1B are met for the past 6 months
· 2. ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type: if criterion 1A is met but criterion 1B is not met for the past six months
· 3. ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: if Criterion 1B is met but Criterion 1A is not met for the past six months.
Treatment:
ADHD is currently considered to be a persistent and chronic condition for which no medical cure is available. Most people grow out of it after childhood. People who get it during Adulthood are really just out of luck.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), or Hyperkinetic Disorder, is a neurobehavioural developmental disorder affecting about 5% of the world's population. It typically presents itself during childhood, and is characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity, as well as forgetfulness, poor impulse control or impulsivity, and distractibility
Signs & Symptoms:
The most common symptoms of ADHD are distractibility, difficulty with concentration and focus, short term memory slippage, procrastination, problems organizing ideas and belongings, tardiness, impulsivity, and weak planning and execution. Not all people with ADD have all the symptoms. Most ordinary people exhibit some of these behaviors but not to the point where they seriously interfere with the person's work, relationships, or studies or cause anxiety or depression. Children do not often have to deal with deadlines, organization issues, and long term planning so these types of symptoms often become evident only during adolescence or adulthood when life demands become greater. Hyperactivity is common among children with ADHD but tends to disappear during adulthood. However over half of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms of inattention throughout their lives.
Causes:
According to a majority of medical research in the United States, as well as other countries, ADHD is today generally regarded as a chronic disorder for which there are some effective treatments, but no true cure. Evidence suggests that hyperactivity has a strong heritable component, and in all probability ADHD is a heterogeneous disorder, meaning that several causes could create very similar symptomology. Researchers believe that a large majority of ADHD arises from a combination of various genes, many of which affect dopamine transporters
Diagnosis:
Many of the symptoms of ADHD occur from time to to time in everyone. In those with ADHD the frequency of these symptoms occur frequently and impair regular life functioning typically at school or at work. Not only will they perform poorly in task oriented settings but they will also have difficulty with social functioning with their peers. No objective physical test exists to diagnose ADHD in a patient. As with many other psychiatric and medical disorders, the formal diagnosis is made by a qualified professional in the field based on a set number of criteria. In the USA these critera are laid down by the American Psychiatric Association in their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Based on the DSM-IV criteria listed below, three types of ADHD are classified:
· 1. ADHD, Combined Type: if both criteria 1A and 1B are met for the past 6 months
· 2. ADHD Predominantly Inattentive Type: if criterion 1A is met but criterion 1B is not met for the past six months
· 3. ADHD, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: if Criterion 1B is met but Criterion 1A is not met for the past six months.
Treatment:
ADHD is currently considered to be a persistent and chronic condition for which no medical cure is available. Most people grow out of it after childhood. People who get it during Adulthood are really just out of luck.
Prevention:
While there is no proven way to prevent ADHD itself, early identification and treatment can prevent many of the problems associated with ADHD.
Epidemiology:
ADHD's prevalence worldwide is estimated to be a bit over 5%, with most of the reported variability being due to methodological characteristics of studies. 10% of males, and (only) 4% of females have been diagnosed in the U.S. This apparent sex difference may reflect either a difference in susceptibility or that females with ADHD are less likely to be diagnosed than males.
Organ System Affected:
Nervous System and the Endocrine System
Resources:
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