ADHD

ADHD

__Description__:  ADHD is a neurological and developmental disorder characterized by excessive inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. In the United States, ADHD afflicts 5-8 percent of children and continues into adulthood in over half of these children. People with ADHD may need to keep busy when doing activities to keep focus.  __Causes:__ ADHD may be hereditary, but the causes are still unclear. It is diagnosed more often in boys then girls.

__Symptoms:__  Symptoms of ADHD include trouble with attention to details, high accidental injury rates, difficulty sustaining attention, not listen when spoken to directly, difficulty in organization, daydream, easily distracted, forgetful in daily activities, fidgets with hands or feet, has difficulty playing quietly, blurts out answers, talks excessively, confusion, impulsive, does not follow through instructions, and interrupts or intrudes on others. Although symptoms may diminish with age, impulsiveness persist throughout the person's lifetime.

__Diagnosis:__  "Children should have at least 6 attention symptoms or 6 hyperactivity/ impulsive symptoms, with some symptoms present before age 7. The symptoms must be present for at least 6 months, seen in two or more settings, and not caused by another problem. The symptoms must be severe enough to cause significant difficulties in many settings, including home, school, and in relationships with peers. If ADHD is suspected questionnaires, psychological evaluation of the child and family including IQ tests and psychological testing, complete developments, mental nutritional, physical, and psychosocial examinations may be used." (Horobin) In the eyes of the public, ADHD is seen as a disciplinary issue instead of a chemical imbalance in the brain. Children with ADHD are often looked down upon and are sometimes treated as outcasts in society.

__Treatments:__  Children with ADHD often respond positively to a combination of medications and behavioral treatments.  Some medications include Adderall, Focalin, Dexedrine, and Concerta. For more information check out the link below CDC

 Works Cited

Horobin, Wendy, ed. //Diseases and Disorders//. Tarrytown, New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2008. Print.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> National Center for Biotechnology Information, "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder" //Pub Med Health//. ASHP.org, AHRQ.gov IQWIG.de, 2/22/10. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002518/>. 4/13/11.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Photograph. Adhd.org.nz. Charles Harrison, 07 May 2009. Web. 14 Apr. 2011. <http://www.adhd.org.nz/>