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Better Health
Everyone gets distracted occasionally, but if you have real trouble with impulsive behavior, or an inability to pay attention or sit still, you could have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
* What Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
First things first, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is real: It is a neurobehavioral condition that makes it exceptionally hard for people to sit still or concentrate on important tasks, and it affects 3% to 5% of children—30% to 70% of whom will continue to have symptoms as adults.
ADHD (sometimes written as AD/HD, or referred to by its old name, ADD) manifests itself in different ways in different people. Children may act full of energy, or be unable to follow directions or pay attention in school, while adults may seem impulsive, irritable, and uninterested in work. Boys may refuse to sit still, while girls may daydream and stare aimlessly out the window. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose ADHD, based on a full examination of a person's symptoms.
The good news is, most people with ADHD respond well to medication and additional forms of treatment. The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about ADHD.
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What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition in which a person has trouble paying attention and focusing on tasks, tends to act without thinking, and has trouble sitting still. It may begin in early childhood and can continue into adulthood. Without treatment, ADHD can cause problems at home, school, work, and with relationships. In the past, ADHD was called attention deficit disorder (ADD).
What causes ADHD?
The exact cause is not clear, but ADHD tends to run in families.
What are the symptoms?
The three types of ADHD symptoms include:
* Trouble paying attention. People with ADHD are easily distracted and have a hard time focusing on any one task.
* Trouble sitting still for even a short time. This is called hyperactivity. Children with ADHD may squirm, fidget, or run around at the wrong times. Teens and adults often feel restless and fidgety and are not able to enjoy reading or other quiet activities.
* Acting before thinking. People with ADHD may talk too loud, laugh too loud, or become angrier than the situation calls for. Children may not be able to wait for their turn or to share. This makes it hard for them to play with other children. Teens and adults seem to "leap before they look." They may make quick decisions that have a long-term impact on their lives. They may spend too much money or change jobs often.
How is ADHD diagnosed?
ADHD is often diagnosed when a child is between 6 and 12 years old. Teachers may notice symptoms in children who are in this age group.
First, the child will have a physical exam to make sure that he or she does not have other problems such as learning disabilities, depression, or anxiety disorder. The doctor will use guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association to diagnose ADHD. The doctor may also look at written reports about the child’s behavior. Parents, teachers, and others who have regular contact with the child prepare these reports.
How is it treated?
There is no cure for ADHD, but treatment may help control the symptoms. Treatment may include medicines and behavior therapy. Parents and other adults need to closely watch children after they begin to take medicines for ADHD. The medicines may cause side effects such as loss of appetite, headaches or stomachaches, tics or twitches, and problems sleeping. Side effects usually get better after a few weeks. If they don't, the doctor can lower the dose.
Therapy focuses on making changes in the environment to improve the child’s behavior. Often, counseling and extra support at home and at school help children succeed at school and feel better about themselves.
How does ADHD affect adults?
Many adults don't realize that they have ADHD until their children are diagnosed. Then they begin to notice their own symptoms. Adults with ADHD may find it hard to focus, organize, and finish tasks. They often forget things. But they also often are very creative and curious. They love to ask questions and keep learning. Some adults with ADHD learn to manage their lives and find careers that let them use those strengths.
But many adults have trouble at home and work. As a group, adults with ADHD have higher divorce rates. They also are more likely to smoke and have more substance abuse problems than adults without ADHD. Fewer adults with ADHD enter college, and fewer graduate. Treatment with medicine, counseling, and behavior therapy can help adults with ADHD.
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* Treatment Options for ADHD at Any Age
When adults are diagnosed with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), they often respond with a feeling of relief rather than dismay. Many have struggled with symptoms since childhood, and receiving a diagnosis tends to place their life experiences in perspective: So that’s why I had such a hard time concentrating in school. And, even better, now they can get treatment.
Luckily for these adults, recognizing ADHD and getting an official diagnosis may be the hardest part. Unlike treatments for some other neurobehavioral disorders, such as autism, the treatments for ADHD are usually manageable and effective, and they may begin to work right away.
"Adult ADHD is one of the most responsive disorders to treatment, and patients are generally very receptive to the program," says David W. Goodman, MD, director of the Adult Attention Deficit Disorder Center of Maryland and assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
"ADHD sufferers may have very low self-esteem because the environment has always been critical of their unsatisfactory performance," he adds. "In only six to nine months of treatment, many notice that their self-image has improved tremendously."
Medications
Prescription medication is typically the cornerstone of ADHD treatment, especially for adults. The most commonly prescribed drugs for adult ADHD are stimulants, such as Adderall and Concerta. (The best known ADHD stimulant, Ritalin, is not officially approved for use in adults but is often prescribed to them off-label.) Side effects are generally slight and temporary, although there is some concern that the risk of cardiovascular problems associated with stimulant use may be greater in adults than in children.
ADHD (sometimes written as AD/HD, or referred to by its old name, ADD) manifests itself in different ways in different people. Children may act full of energy, or be unable to follow directions or pay attention in school, while adults may seem impulsive, irritable, and uninterested in work. Boys may refuse to sit still, while girls may daydream and stare aimlessly out the window. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose ADHD, based on a full examination of a person's symptoms.
The good news is, most people with ADHD respond well to medication and additional forms of treatment. The following information from our A-Z Health Library can help you determine if you should talk to your doctor about ADHD. "
Alternative and high-tech treatments
An Internet search for ADHD treatments will turn up plenty of home remedies, special diets, and alternative medicine options, many that promise results that sound too good to be true—and that's because they are. Adults often shy away from the idea of taking medication on a daily basis, or worse, giving it to their children who have been diagnosed with ADHD. But unfortunately, most alternative medicine treatments have not been shown to be effective for this disorder.
An innovative treatment known as neurofeedback has become more prominent in recent years.
So-called brain games, video games that respond to a player’s brain waves, have been designed as a way to condition behavior in people with ADHD. Players wear a special helmet that gauges electrical activity in the brain and sends the information to a computer and game controller. In order to play the game successfully, the player must force himself to relax and stay focused, a state which corresponds to a type of brain wave that is underactive in people with ADHD. (While playing a racing game, for instance, becoming too excited or distracted will cause the on-screen car to slow down or crash.) Learning to control this brain activity, the thinking goes, will allow the player to apply the same technique away from the game machine.
Little research into the effectiveness of neurofeedback for ADHD has been conducted. While some studies have shown that it can help improve behavioral symptoms, most experts do not recommend it as a stand-alone treatment. (Lead writer: Ray Hainer)
* 6 Questions to Ask Yourself About Adult ADHD Symptoms :Adults living with untreated attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have trouble focusing, remembering things, and completing tasks once they begin. But often they don't realize there's anything they can do; they think it's just the way they are and always will be.
If your inability to concentrate is causing significant stress in your life, score yourself with the questions below. Only a qualified physician can diagnose you with ADHD, but the following scenarios might help you decide whether your issues are the result of normal life stress or a real medical condition.
This questionnaire was developed in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Workgroup on Adult ADHD, and is intended for people ages 18 and older.
Circle the number that best describes how you have felt and conducted yourself over the past six months. Add up your total and give the completed questionnaire to your healthcare professional during your next appointment to discuss the results. A score of 11 points or higher indicates that your symptoms may be consistent with Adult ADHD.
ASRS-V1.1 Screener COPYRIGHT © 2003 World Health Organization (WHO). Reprinted with permissionof WHO. All rights reserved.
