| When asking "What Is ADHD Disorder" it would | | | | and the teenage years into adulthood they carry |
| be easy to give the standard response that it is a | | | | with them many of these problematic symptoms. |
| mental disorder characterized by difficulty paying | | | | While some symptoms such as hyperactivity |
| attention and a high degree of restlessness and | | | | morph into the less destructive restlessness other |
| impulsive behavior that begins before the age of | | | | symptoms don't improve with age. While many |
| 7. While this is a good start in understanding what | | | | adults have developed strategies to deal with the |
| is ADHD disorder there is much more to learn. If | | | | symptoms, they still can come back to haunt |
| you have a few extra minutes to walk with me | | | | them. The best example of this is the primary |
| through a more detailed analysis you just might | | | | symptom of inattention that if left unchecked or |
| find a few surprises while gaining a better | | | | untreated can negatively impact relationships, |
| understanding of ADHD. | | | | finances, and job performance. |
| There are three primary symptoms of ADHD; | | | | In asking "What Is ADHD Disorder" one cannot |
| inattention/distractibility, impulsivity, and | | | | gain a full understanding of the condition without |
| hyperactivity/restlessness. In order for a diagnosis | | | | exploring the biological aspect at the core of the |
| to be made all three symptoms do not have to | | | | problem. The bottom line is that attention deficit |
| be present. That said, signs of inattention must | | | | disorder is a problem with self regulation that |
| always be present for a diagnosis. Signs, must be | | | | starts deep within the brain, probably in the |
| present in two or more situations (for example | | | | prefrontal cortex. It is a problem of balance |
| family and school), must last for at least 6 | | | | between the activities of the brain messenger |
| months, and must interfere with social of | | | | chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. These |
| academic functioning. | | | | chemical are responsible for bridging the gaps |
| The current numbers indicate that that the | | | | between synapse allowing the brain to effectively |
| condition is either increasing in numbers or the | | | | and normally communicate both thought and |
| methods of diagnosis are becoming more efficient. | | | | physical actions. When norepinephrine dominates |
| The current best guess estimates are that 10 | | | | this process a person becomes easily agitated or |
| percent of school aged children have the condition | | | | frustrated. When dopamine is in charge a person |
| and 5 percent of adults. Other interesting statistics | | | | is stuck in the a repetitive cycle where boredom |
| are that 20 percent of children with ADHD have | | | | is unlikely no matter how many times the task is |
| learning disabilities and about 80 percent have | | | | completed (example watching movie multiple |
| academic problems. About 40 percent of ADHD | | | | times or eating the same foods every night). As |
| children have issues with self esteem, depression, | | | | far as that goes if enough dopamine was present |
| anxiety, or resistance to authority by the time | | | | you could watch the same television show and |
| they reach adolescence. About 60 percent of | | | | eat the same dinner every night and never get |
| young children have such problems as temper | | | | bored. |
| tantrums, and most older children have low | | | | Most prescription medications focus on this |
| tolerance for frustration. | | | | imbalance and try to find a middle ground. |
| As an ADHD child moves through the adolescent | | | | |