Sunday, August 14, 2016

A Look At Adhd In Children

By William Sullivan


The abbreviation ADHD is used widely for the term attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. As a mental disease, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is categorized under neurodevelopment. Patients are often unable to control their behavior and find it hard to pay attention. The disease is also characterized by excessive activity. ADHD is the most prevalent mental disorder in children, because most kids are diagnosed with it worldwide. ADHD in children has become a global problem as opposed to being a menace in developed countries alone as before.

It is a requirement for symptoms to have been existing for a minimum of six months for a diagnosis to be made. Symptoms must also be the cause for inability to function in more than one setting such as work, home, school, or social settings. Some people have trouble to cope in all the settings mentioned above. It is mandatory to have attained the criteria for being diagnosed with the condition by the time one reaches the age of twelve.

Many symptoms are associated with ADHD. Symptoms present simultaneously in many cases, but not always. Major symptoms are being easily distracted, forgetfulness, missing details, and switching activities often. Patients get bored quickly and are unable to stay focused on one task. They have difficulty understanding minor details and following instructions. Children move slowly, daydream, and appear to be confused.

Out of all the cases, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder usually occur together with other conditions in about 65 percent of all the time. Among the conditions it is associated with are Tourette syndrome, learning disability, oppositional defiant disorder, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and primary disorder of vigilance. Additional conditions include obsessive-compulsive disorder, restless legs syndrome, sleep disorder, and substance use disorder.

The condition is also associated with persistent bed wetting, developmental coordination disorder, and language delay. Language delay comprises of hardship listening within distracting environments, short-term hearing memory weakness, slow processing of spoken messages, and hardship following instructions. Telling when the degree of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity has gone out of the normal range makes it hard to make a diagnosis.

According to studies, people who have attention deficient hyperactivity disorder also tend to have low intelligence quotient. These individuals consistently score low in IQ tests. There is controversy on these findings because it is not clear if the low scores in IQ tests are caused by distractibility or intellectual capacity of patients. There is a lot of ongoing research to determine the significance of the relationship between low scores in IQ tests and attention deficient hyperactivity disorder.

Three types of ADHD exist. The first variety is predominantly inattentive, while the second variety is predominantly hyperactive-impulsive. The third variety combines the first two varieties. The cause often remains unknown in a majority of cases. Trauma and infection of the brain have historically been found to be causes of this mental disorder.

Attention deficient hyperactivity disorder is not treatable, but rather manageable. Physicians use counseling and medications to manage the condition. Outcomes cannot be alleviated completely in the long-term, but can be improved. Examples of medications in use are stimulants, atomoxetine, alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists, and antidepressants.




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