What is Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity?

What is ADD/ADHD?

Attention Deficit Disorder / with hyperactivity

Though precise causes have not yet been identified, there is a strong hereditary link within ADHD.  There are, also, neurotransmitter deficits in nearly all ADHD people.  These deficits are usually in the form of chemical imbalances in the production of dopamine and Acetylcholine and in the “misfiring” of neurotransmitters in the brain.  Diet, though not usually a main cause can also influence the daily activities in the brains of ADHD people.  There is no definitive physical test for ADHD as yet.  Though progress is being made to include the uses of PET (Positron Emission Tomography), and MRI’s (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) in discovering the exact “misfirings” that preclude the workings of the ADHD mind.

The characteristics, or symptoms, of ADHD vary widely in each student or adult.  Many have none of the hyperactivity symptoms and are mainly disturbed by the central auditory processing issues of the disorder.

Several of the main symptoms that are seen in most, (but again, not all), people with ADHD are:

1.                  Executive Functioning difficulties

2.                  Difficulty staying on task and paying attention to only one source

3.                  Working memory and recall issues

4.                  Activation, arousal and effort issues (Motivation to get going and keep going until a project is completed.)

5.                  Variability of school work (Day to day changes in comprehension)

6.                  An impaired sense of time

7.                  Sleep disturbances

8.                  Lack of concentration

9.                  Lack of motivation

10.              Not learning from punishments and rewards the way others do

11.              LOW SELF-ESTEEM or difficulties keeping self esteem at a productive level

12.              Forgetfulness

13.              Disorganization

      Diagnosing ADHD is not a simple task.  A good, complete physical is the best beginning.  Ruling out physical causes for the above symptoms is always a good idea.  If you, or your child’s teachers, feel that ADHD may, indeed, be an issue, this should be discussed with your physician.  If nothing is found to be wrong physically, your doctor should advise a good counselor to progress to, or give you a packet of ADHD questionnaires to have all teachers, family members, etc. fill out for you or your child.  These questionnaires usually do a remarkable job in letting you and your physician understand just where the problems most lie.  For instance, one set of questions may deal with behavior within a classroom or home and ask if the patient moves around more than others, talks more, “daydreams”, stays on task, completes work on time, etc.  Other sheets will deal with understanding directions, getting work completed, bringing all materials to class as needed, etc.  The more in-depth the sheets, the better.  Answers from all sources are then put together in a chart or graph.  If your child has 4 teachers, a Sunday School teacher, both parents filling out forms; the answers from all are put together and compared to see which issues arise most often and regularly.

If your child, (or you), is diagnosed with ADHD, you will then have options to choose from to help.  Your first step may be a counselor, psychologists, or other mental health official, to guide you through those options.  Medications help a lot of children with ADHD to maintain a balance in attention and staying on task.  Diet changes may be included, or tried first, to ascertain if, perhaps, a change in the levels of protein, sugars, carbohydrates, etc. may help alleviate some of the major symptoms.  Counseling may help, also.  Talking through the issues and finding ways to alternate behaviors or ways of thinking will help the young person better understand himself and, thus, understand how he can “work around” his disabilities and differences.