The development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has been attributed to a variety of causes. Because the disorder is the most prevalent and often diagnosed disorder of childhood that can remain with a person into adulthood, finding the cause is valuable to treating and preventing it. As of 2010, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, or AACAP, an exact cause of ADHD has yet to be found, but contributing factors have been determined.
Vulnerabilities
The most likely causes of ADHD for the majority of people are genetics and neurological problems. MayoClinic.com reports that one out of every four children with ADHD can report having a relative who also has the disorder. TeensHealth notes that changes in brain chemicals, also known as neurotransmitters, affect the development of ADHD. These changes in brain chemistry can be inherited or caused by brain injury, substance abuse or exposure to harmful toxins.
It is thought that having a genetic predisposition to ADHD or an altered brain function can leave a person vulnerable to the future development of ADHD.
Facts
ADHD appears to be present in more boys than girls and the prevalence of ADHD is much higher in babies who are born prematurely, notes TeensHealth. These factors may contribute to the development of the disorder, but the specific reasons why have yet to be determined.
Significance
The environment a child grows up in seems to play a role in the development of ADHD. According to the AACAP, a child's environment causes the symptoms of ADHD to be become apparent or worsens symptoms of ADHD that are already present. Exposure to poverty, family disturbances, violence, substance abuse and unstable, chaotic and un-educational environments can stimulate the development of the disorder, notes the AACAP.
Considerations
When pregnant women drink alcohol, smoke or abuse drugs, the risk of the child developing ADHD increases. MayoClinic.com notes that the activity of nerve cells that produce neurotransmitters are thought to be reduced in children whose mothers abused substances while they were pregnant. Also, alcohol and drug use during pregnancy has been linked to hyperactivity in children later on, notes the AACAP.
Toxic substances may play a role in the development of ADHD for some children. Preschool children who have been exposed to lead may display disruptive and violent behaviors, along with short attention spans, notes MayoClinic.com
Speculations
There have been a number of assumptions made about the causes of ADHD. According to the AACAP, food additives were once thought to cause ADHD, but this was later discounted; and the consumption of sugar has been thought to be a cause of ADHD, but further research has found this not to be the case.
