Attention deficit disorder is a medical condition diagnosed mostly in boys and characterized by behavioral and learning disorders. This condition results in impulsivity and difficulty for individuals to focus their attention. These issues can continue through to adulthood and are usually characterized by persistent difficulties, inattentiveness, distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity.
History
According to Canadian researchers working in the United Kingdom, doctors and educators are doing a disservice to individuals who suffer from hyperactivity. Matthew Smith, Canadian researcher from the University of Exeter, says that ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed childhood psychiatric disorder, but prior to the 1950s it was clinically and culturally insignificant. The history of the disorder really began after 1957 and is closely linked with social, cultural and economic changes that happened in the last half of the century. Smith believes that hyperactivity as a disease was contingent upon the context of the social environment, all of which changed in the mid-1950s.
Symptoms
According to KidsHealth.com, symptoms of attention deficit disorder fall into one of three different types. Individuals may have an inattentive type which includes problems listening, following instructions, problems with organization and avoidance of tasks that require mental effort. Individuals who suffer from a hyperactivity or impulsivity type of disorder will have trouble remaining seated, talking excessively or difficulty waiting for their turn in line. More commonly however, is a combined type of disorder and includes symptoms that fall into both hyperactivity and attention deficit categories.
Considerations
Adults and children who suffer from ADHD also experience lifetime symptoms that appeared to be extraneous to the diagnosis. For instance, scientists at John Carroll University found that they could reduce the symptoms of ADHD by changing the sleep patterns of sufferers. Using sunglasses that blocked blue light in the light spectrum, researchers were able to alter an individual's circadian rhythm and improve sleep disorders. The special glasses delayed the start of sleep hormone and resulted in a marked decline of symptoms. In another study at Duke University Medical Center, researchers found that a diagnosis of ADHD in childhood led to an increased number of adults who smoked. While findings did not mean a diagnosis of ADHD meant smoking was imminent in adulthood, they also cautioned that more research was required in order to discover how physicians may help prevent smoking in adults who suffer from ADHD.
Misconceptions
Today, a diagnosis of ADHD is made before the child reaches the age of 7. However, adults also suffer from the condition and exhibit many of the same symptoms. Behaviors must be present for at least six months and occur in two different areas of an individual's life. For instance, behaviors must negatively affect school, work setting or friendships for at least six months and not be linked to stressful situations at home, such as divorce or a significant life event. According to KidsHealth.com researchers have not found a biological origin but do know that ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, too much sugar or vaccinations. Researchers have found that certain areas of the brain are 5 percent to 10 percent smaller in size and activity in children who suffer from ADHD as compared to those who do not.
Warning
One of the difficulties in the diagnosis of attention deficit disorder in both children and adults is that it is often found as a coexisting condition in conjunction with other underlying medical or psychiatric problems. According to KidsHealth.com individuals who have ADHD will have a higher risk of oppositional defiant disorder, mood disorders, anxiety disorders and learning disabilities. in a study published in March of 2009, researchers from Douglas Mental Health University Institute found that individuals with ADHD slept an average of 33 minutes less and had an average of 16 minutes less rapid eye movement sleep time. Researchers did not believe that sleep was the cause of ADHD but that sleep disorders contributed to worsening symptoms.
References
- Science Daily: Did Mozart Really Have ADHD?
- Kids Health: What Is ADHD?
- Science Daily: Blue Blocking Glasses to Improve Sleep in ADHD Symptoms Developed
- Consumer Affairs: Childhood ADHD May Lead to Smoking and Adulthood
- Journal Sleep; Study Points to an Underlying Sleep Problem in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; R. Gruber; March 2009
