*Add (Attention Deficit Disorder)*

What is ADD?

Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD/ADHD, is a psychological term currently applied to anyone who meets the DSM IV diagnostic criteria for impulsivity, hyperactivity and/or inattention.  The diagnostic criteria are subjective and include behavior which might be caused by a wide variety of factors, ranging from brain defects to allergies to giftedness.  ADD, as currently defined, is a highly subjective description, not a specific disease. 

How common is ADD?

The figure for ADD is typically given as 3-5 percent of the population.  The real figure is unknown and estimates vary between 1 and 20 percent or even more.  This is largely because the diagnostic criteria are so subjective: What is considered "clinically significant impairment" to one person might seem more like normal childhood behavior to someone else.  For example, in one English survey, only 0.09 percent of the children were found to be ADD.   But in an Israeli study, 28 percent of children were rated hyperactive by their teachers.  And in one U.S. study, teachers rated 50 percent of boys as restless, 43 percent of boys as having "short attention spans" and 43 percent of boys as "inattentive to what others say."



How is ADD Diagnosed?

ADD should be diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist who is knowledgeable about ADD as well as giftedness and creativity.  Avoid diagnosis by a pediatrician, since pediatricians as a group are far more likely to simply prescribe medications without properly assessing the child.  Psychiatrists and neurologists are far more likely to prescribe medications before acquiring a total picture of the patient.

Symptoms.

The most prevalent symptoms of ADHD are inattention and distractibility and/or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Difficulties with concentration, mental focus, and inhibition of impulses and behaviors are chronic and pervasive and impair an individual’s daily functioning across various settings -- home, school or work, in relationships, etc. Read more about the symptoms and diagnostic criteria for ADHD.

 

Causes

The exact cause of ADHD has not been determined, however the condition is thought to have a genetic and biological component. ADHD tends to occur among family members. Many research studies currently focus on identifying which genes, or combination of genes, may cause a person to be more susceptible to ADHD. Physical differences in parts of the brain are also thought to be linked to ADHD. Read more about the causes of ADHD. Watch a video describing the causes.

Risk Factors

Genetics and heredity are the major risk factors, as ADHD tends runs in families. Brain abnormalities or structural differences have also been found in individuals with ADHD. Early brain injury/trauma or other impediment to normal brain development such as exposure to chronic low levels of lead, prematurity, obstetrical complications, cigarette smoke exposure in utero, and malnourishment can all result in a child being at greater risk for ADHD. Read more about the risk factors for ADHD.