Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
hideAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or AD/HD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder. [Requires registration] ADHD is defined as a “persistent pattern of inattention or hyperactivity—impulsivity that is more frequently displayed and more severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development.” While symptoms may appear to be innocent and merely annoying nuisances to observers, "if left untreated, the persistent and pervasive effects of ADHD symptoms can insidiously and severely interfere with one's ability to get the most out of education, fulfill one's potential in the workplace, establish and maintain interpersonal relationships, and maintain a generally positive sense of self.":p.2
ADHD is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder in children, affecting about 3 to 5% of children globally with symptoms starting before seven years of age. ADHD is a common chronic disorder in children with 30 to 50% of those individuals diagnosed in childhood continuing to have symptoms into adulthood. Adolescents and adults with ADHD tend to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for some or all of their impairments. However, many aspects of daily life that most people take for granted are rendered more difficult by the symptoms of ADHD.[clarification needed]
Though previously regarded as a childhood diagnosis, ADHD can continue throughout adulthood. 4.7 percent of American adults are estimated to live with ADHD. ADHD is diagnosed twice to four times as frequently in boys as in girls, though studies suggest this discrepancy may be due to subjective bias of referring teachers. ADHD management usually involves some combination of medications, behavior modifications, lifestyle changes, and counseling. Its symptoms can be difficult to differentiate from other psychiatric or other disorders, increasing the likelihood that the diagnosis of ADHD will be missed. Additionally, most clinicians have not received formal training in the assessment and treatment of ADHD, particularly in adult patients.
ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media. Opinions regarding ADHD range from not believing it exists at all to believing there are genetic and physiological bases for the condition as well as disagreement about the use of stimulant medications in treatment. Most healthcare providers accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in the scientific community centering mainly around how it is diagnosed and treated.
For more information about Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, read the full article at
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News tagged with adhd
Scientists find emotion-like behaviors, regulated by dopamine, in fruit flies
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
Nov 25, 2009 |
5 / 5 (3) |
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Scientists at the California Institute of Technology have uncovered evidence of a primitive emotion-like behavior in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Their findings, which may be relevant to the relationship betwee ...
Exposure to lead, tobacco smoke raises risk of ADHD
Nov 23, 2009 |
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Children exposed prenatally to tobacco smoke and during childhood to lead face a particularly high risk for ADHD, according to research done at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
Common plastics chemicals linked to ADHD symptoms
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 19, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (5) |
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Phthalates are important components of many consumer products, including toys, cleaning materials, plastics, and personal care items. Studies to date on phthalates have been inconsistent, with some linking exposure to these ...
Research Finds Ritalin's Benefits in Treating Children with Autism
Nov 19, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- UA researchers present evidence that the Ritalin is effective in treating preschoolers with Autism in a first-ever clinical trial to test the medication's efficacy with children with the disorder.
Language support in schools vital for children with autism
Nov 09, 2009 |
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Teachers and parents must be vigilant in observing difficulties with language comprehension, reading and spelling in children and young people with autism, Asperger's syndrome and ADHD.
Deep brain stimulation may be effective treatment for Tourette's syndrome
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
Oct 27, 2009 |
4 / 5 (1) |
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Deep brain stimulation may be a safe and effective treatment for Tourette syndrome, according to research published in the October 27, 2009, print issue of Neurology.
Research Identifies Link Between Childhood ADHD and Adult Crime
Other Sciences / Social Sciences
Oct 19, 2009 |
2 / 5 (1) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Schoolchildren with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are substantially more likely to engage in many types of criminal activity such as burglary, theft and drug dealing as they grow ...
The role of genetic factors in adult ADHD
Sep 15, 2009 |
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Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders of childhood. Worldwide, 3% of children are affected with the disorder. Key symptoms of ADHD include age-inappropriate ...
Deficits in brain's reward system observed in ADHD patients
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
Sep 08, 2009 |
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A brain-imaging study conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory provides the first definitive evidence that patients suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have ...
Placebo Effects in Caregivers May Change Behavior of Children with ADHD
Jun 29, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Stimulant medications, such as Ritalin and Adderall, are the accepted treatment to stem hyperactivity in children with attention deficit-hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and improve their behavior.
ADHD genes found, known to play roles in neurodevelopment
Jun 23, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
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Pediatric researchers have identified hundreds of gene variations that occur more frequently in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than in children without ADHD. Many of those genes were already ...
History of hyperactivity off-base, says researcher
May 27, 2009 |
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A Canadian researcher working in the U.K. says doctors, authors and educators are doing hyperactive children a disservice by claiming that hyperactivity as we understand it today has always existed.
Kids with ADHD need to fidget, study says
May 26, 2009 |
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If you've got a kid with ADHD, you've probably spent countless hours pleading with him to sit still. Well, stop it.
Cognition already seriously impaired in first episode of schizophrenia
Medicine & Health / Neuroscience
May 13, 2009 |
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Significant and widespread cognitive problems appear to exist in schizophrenia in its earliest phase, making it very hard for people with the disorder to work, study or be social, according to a new study published by the ...
Study links ADHD with sleep problems in adolescents
May 01, 2009 |
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A study in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP shows that adolescents with a childhood diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more likely to have current and lifetime sleep problems and disorders, regard ...
