What Is ADHD in Children?

Overview

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and was formerly known as attention deficit disorder (ADD). While adults can be diagnosed with ADHD, the disease has gained the most attention from the media for its effects on children. Nearly 4.5 million children between the ages of five and 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The National Institute of Mental Health states that "ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood."

Symptoms

Lack of focus, inability to control behavior and hyperactivity are all symptoms of ADHD. The disorder is difficult to diagnose medically since these symptoms are often present in children who have disciplinary problems or emotional distress surrounding specific issues.

Subtypes

Medical doctors list three subtypes of the disorder, including Predominantly Inattentive Type, Predominately Hyperactive-Impulsive Type and Combined Type. Even though inability to focus and hyperactivity are common traits in most children with the disorder, medical practitioners group youngsters into these subgroups to assist in treatment options.

Causes

Numerous theories have been put forward as to the causes of ADHD, but there is no general agreement among researchers and physicians. Possible causes include lack of socialization, brain injury, genetic damage and environmental factors (such as cigarette and alcohol exposure). Older theories, including overconsumption of sugar, have been discounted, but two new studies in 2008 and 2009 by the National Taiwan University College of Medicine and Public Health and the Douglas Mental Health University Institute respectively postulate a relationship between sleep disorders and ADHD. Lack of normal REM sleep and a high degree of sleep deprivation in children were key findings of the study.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of the disease is difficult. Nearly 8 percent of parents in a 2006 study speculated that their child had ADHD, according to the CDC. Diagnosis of ADHD in a child is done by various methods and depends on the physician or therapist; information is gathered from tests done by pediatricians, mental health professionals, nutritionists, schoolteachers, and family members, as well as information recorded from observations of the child. The CDC recorded a 3 percent increase in ADHD diagnosis between 1997 and 2006.

Treatments

Medical practitioners do not agree on the effectiveness of drugs for ADHD. Some doctors prescribe drugs, others use behavior modification and a third group uses a combination of drugs and therapy. The CDC reported that nearly 56 percent of children with an ADHD diagnosis were using drug therapy, with rates ranging from .3 to 9.3 percent, depending on the age and sex of the child. More boys than girls are diagnosed with the disease, and more males are given prescription medications. A listing of the common medications (with trade and generic names) and the approved usage age is available at the National Institute of Mental Health website listed below.