Meet a few accomplished people who have ADHD:

Ozzy Osbourne

Albert Einstein

Whoopi Goldberg

Winston Churchill

Walt Disney

Understanding

ADHD

History of ADHDMid-1800s: Minimal Brain Damage

Mid 1900s: Minimal Brain Dysfunction

1960s: Hyperkinesia

1980: Attention-Deficit Disorder With or Without Hyperactivity

1987: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder1994-present: ADHD

Primarily Inattentive Primarily Hyperactive Combined Type

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

The condition often becomes apparent when children are in preschool or when they are in their early school years.

An estimated 3-5% of children have ADHD.

ADHD Statistics

3-5% of all U.S. school-age children are estimated to have this disorder.

5-10% of the entire U.S. population

Males are 3 to 6 times more likely to have ADHD than are females.

At least 50% of ADHD sufferers have another diagnosable mental disorder.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)  

Onsets before age seven

The main symptoms are:

INATTENTION- HYPERACTIVITY

IMPULSIVITY. 

Diagnosing ADHD: DSM-IV

Inattentiveness:

Has a minimum of 6 symptoms regularly for the past six months.

Symptoms are present at abnormal levels for stage of development

Lacks attention to detail; makes careless mistakes

has difficulty sustaining attention

doesn’t seem to listen fails to follow through/fails

to finish projects has difficulty organizing

tasks avoids tasks requiring

mental effort often loses items necessary

for completing a task easily distracted is forgetful in daily activities

Diagnosing ADHD: DSM-IV

Hyperactivity/ Impulsivity:

Fidgets or squirms excessively

leaves seat when inappropriate

runs about/climbs extensively when inappropriate

has difficulty playing quietly

often “on the go” or “driven by a motor”

talks excessively blurts out answers before

question is finished cannot await turn interrupts or intrudes on

others

Has a minimum of 6 symptoms regularly for the past six months.

Symptoms are present at abnormal levels for stage of development

Diagnosing ADHD: DSM-IV

Additional Criteria:

Symptoms causing impairment present before age 7

Impairment from symptoms occurs in two or more settings

Clear evidence of significant impairment (social, academic, etc.)

Symptoms not better accounted for by another mental disorder

It is VERY important that children are examined and diagnosed by a qualified professional who will use strict diagnostic guidelines to determine whether the behaviors are inappropriate for the child’s age, and whether the symptoms indicate ADHD or not.

Talking to your family physician might be a good start.

ADHD: Getting a diagnosis

Learning Disabilities

About 20-30% of children with ADHD also have a specific LD. It is a good idea to have your child with ADHD assessed for a learning disability.

Several disorders can accompany ADHD. See your family doctor or specialist if you suspect your child has any of these disorders.

Tourette Syndrome

A small proportion of children with ADHD also have this neurological disorder, which can be controlled with medication. Symptoms include nervous tics and repetitive mannerisms.

Bipolar Disorder

Some children with ADHD also have BD. Differentiating between ADHD and BD in childhood can be difficult, however, as some symptoms are present in both disorders.

ADHD: Accompanying disorders

Several disorders can accompany ADHD. See your family doctor or specialist if you suspect your child has any of these disorders.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder

As many as 1/3 to 1/2 of children with ADHD also have ODD. Children with ODD are defiant, non-compliant, belligerent, and stubborn.

Conduct Disorder

About 20-40% of children with ADHD will develop CD, which is a more serious pattern of antisocial behavior. Children with CD are aggressive and destructive, and are at great risk of getting into trouble at school or with the police.

Anxiety & Depression

If co-occurring anxiety or depression is recognized and treated, children will be better able to handle the problems that accompany ADHD.

ADHD: Accompanying disorders

BUT… some studies have shown a relationship between alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy and

the risk for ADHD in the baby.

So, these activities should be avoided while pregnant!

What causes ADHD?

The cause of ADHD remains unknown, but most research suggests that the cause lies in neurobiology (some parts of the brain are smaller in children with ADHD) or genetics (ADHD tends to run in families, so there are likely genetic influences).

Although environmental and social factors (like child-rearing style) can influence the severity of the disorder, they do not cause the disorder.

What causes ADHD?

Several teams of researcher have found relatively consistent abnormalities in five areas of the brain in people with ADHD:

Prefrontal Lobes

Frontal Lobes

Basal Ganglia

Cerebellum

Corpus Callosum

The Frontal Lobe/Prefrontal Cortex helps us to:

Focus ConcentrationPay Attention to our tasksMake good decisionsPlan AheadLearn and to remember what we have learned.

To have proper behavior in situations where it is required.Armstrong (2010)

The prefrontal cortex is one of the last areas of the brain to fully mature. In patients with ADHD it is hypothesized that they mature at a slower rate than their peers without ADHD, sometimes between two and three years slower. However it must be said that children with ADHD do undergo normal patterns of brain development they just lag behind their peers.Armstrong (2010)

Basal Ganglia also helps with movement and motor control. Dopamine, either too much or too little affects how the Basal Ganglia communicates to the rest of the brain.Sweeney (2009), Armstrong (2010)

The Cerebellum is responsible for producing coordinated muscle movements. It also works to sequence thoughts of motion.Sweeney (2010), Armstrong (2010)

ADHD is not caused by:

Will Power

Inadequate Parenting

Lack of Motivation

Lack of Intelligence

Laziness

Medical Examination

Clinical Interview

Teacher and Parent Rating Scales

Behavioral Observations

Four Components in Assessing whether a student has ADHD

Psychological and Behavioral Characteristics:

Behavioral Inhibition (Russell Barkley)

involves the ability to:

1. Delay a response

2. Interrupt an ongoing response

3. Protect a response from distracting or competing stimuli (Lawrence et al., 2002)

People with ADHD frequently delayed inner speech

Children and adults with ADHD have problems controlling their emotions and their arousal levels.

Children and adults with ADHD have difficulty analyzing problems and communicating solution to others.

Educational Considerations

Classroom structure and teacher direction

Functional behavioral assessment involves determining the consequences, antecedents, and setting events that maintain inappropriate

behaviors (Horner & Carr, 1997)

Contingency-based self-management involve having people keep track of their own behavior and then receive consequences, usually in

the form of rewards, based on their behavior (Davies & Witte, 2000; DuPaul, Arbolino, & Booster, 2009; Shapiro, DuPaul, & Bradley-Klug, 1998).

Stimulants (like methylphenidate or “Ritalin”) seem to be the most effective class of medication, and are usually considered quite safe.

They do not make children feel “high” and there is no evidence that stimulants (when used for the treatment of ADHD) cause drug abuse or dependence.

Medications have been used to treat ADHD for decades.

Treatment for ADHD

In many people, stimulants reduce hyperactivity and impulsivity, and improve the ability to focus, work and learn. About 10% of children are not helped by stimulants, even after trying several medications at several doses.

Recently, at least one non-stimulant medication has shown great potential for reducing the symptoms of ADHD (atomoxetine or “Strattera”).

Treatment for ADHD

Choosing a Treatment

for ADHD

What does the research show?

Medication seems to be essential for children with ADHD.

The most intensive ADHD treatment study to date found that long-term management with medication or a combination treatment of medication and behavioral treatment are superior to behavioral treatments alone.

Which treatment will be most effective for my child?

Because no two children are alike, this question must be answered by each family in consultation with their

health care professional.

Although medication works well for many children, it can cause undesirable side effects in others, making it an unacceptable treatment.

Each child’s needs and personal history must be carefully considered.

BUT… no one treatment is the answer for every child!

If you need more help..

Medication can help a child control the behavior problems that have led to trouble with parents and siblings, but it can take a long time to undo the frustration, blame and anger that may have gone on for so long.

ADHD: What else can we do?

Children AND parents might need special help to develop techniques for managing the patterns of behaviour.

Many intervention approaches are available, including: psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, social skills training,

support groups and parenting skills training.

Try these simple tips…!

(1) Schedule - have the same routine every day, and post the schedule in the kitchen.

(2) Organize needed everyday items - have a place for everything, and keep everything in its place.

(3) Use homework/notebook organizers - stress the importance of writing down assignments and bringing home needed books.

ADHD: What else can we do?