Interesting Facts About ADHD

The specifics of ADHD have been mentioned in previous posts, but in this post we’ll make an attempt to state some interesting facts about ADHD that you may not have known, adapted from various sources.

• People with ADHD don’t have trouble paying attention. They have difficulty paying attention to the right things, such as finishing assignments or listening to instructions. One diagnosed with the disorder may play video games with full concentration and for long periods of time. (1)
• People with ADHD have it for life. Although it may not always be noticed or even a problem, it can occur in episodes during one’s life. (1)
• There are many different types of ADHD. (2)
• ADHD varies from individual to individual. (3)
• ADHD can be diagnosed as early as age 3. (4)
• ADHD and ADD are the same thing, contrary to popular belief. (4)
• About 4-6% of the United States population has ADHD, which is about 8-9 million adults. (5)

Stay updated with the ADHD blog for future posts. 

Works Cited

1) "8 New Facts About ADHD." Parents Magazine. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013.

2) "ADHD Fact Sheet - Attention Deficit Disorder Association." ADHD Fact Sheet - Attention Deficit Disorder Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013.

3) "CommonHealth." CommonHealth RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Nov. 2013.

4) "PATRIC::Taxon Overview." PATRIC::Taxon Overview. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013.

5) "Staphylococcal Infections: MedlinePlus." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2013. 

Treatment of ADHD

Many things have thus far been described about ADHD, but many wonder what the treatment options are for a disorder which is deemed by some to be nonexistent. Depending on the severity of ADHD in the individual, doctors may either prescribe medication, offer psychosocial treatment options or offer changes in the individual’s environment to treat it (1). The most common treatments are medications and psychological therapy.

The most commonly prescribed medications include stimulants, which help the patient with ADHD focus and stay awake, as well as complete tasks. These stimulants are mostly amphetamines. The drugs include Ritalin, Vyvanse and Adderall. These drugs are abused by students without ADHD to increase cognitive capacitance and endurance while studying. There are studies which have claimed to link the use of stimulant like medications to heart problems in later stages of life. Non-stimulant medications include Strattera and Intuniv, which are not used as often as stimulants but may be used in patients who cannot tolerate the use of stimulants (3).

Psychological treatments include behavioral interventions, parental, teacher and therapeutic recreational programs, and lifestyle changes (2). These treatments are preferred over drugs in children with an early diagnosis because it prevents the chance of side effects caused by drugs, which children are more prone to. Some changes such as proctoring of studying time and one-on-one learning can help form study habits which will stick with the child. Additionally, home schooling may be a plausible option since there is a less chance of the child becoming distracted.

There have been many developments in the treatment methods of ADHD, and research is still underway to learn more about how exactly the disorder works so that additional treatments can be developed. 

1) "ADHD Medication Choices, Effects, Advisories, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.

2) "Easing ADHD without Meds." Http://www.apa.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013.

3) "Nonstimulant ADHD Drugs: Uses, Types, Side Effects, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 15 Oct. 2013. 

Prognosis of ADHD

Now that we’ve covered the basics of the physiology behind how ADHD affects the diagnosed patient, we can discuss how the disorder’s outcome, or prognosis. The effects of ADHD are not known to put one’s life in danger, but it can contribute to social problems, as we will discuss.

There is no cure for ADHD, but there are treatments such as drugs, counseling and lifestyle changes, or a combination of these. Most people diagnosed with ADHD will have the disorder throughout adulthood as well. Although most children can manage their ADHD and continue throughout adolescence and adulthood to lead productive, successful lives, others may not be able to manage it.

Those diagnosed with ADHD usually have social and educational problems (1). Strained relationships with siblings and parents are prominent as they do not follow directions as told or remember to do tasks as asked. About 25% of ADHD children develop antisocial disorder and become victims of criminal tendencies, substance abuse and/or suicidal behavior (2).

Ultimately, the best form of treating ADHD is diagnosing it early and properly treating it with medicine, counseling and/or lifestyle changes. Follow up on the next post to learn different treatments.  

1) "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)." Health News RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2013.

2) "Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, n.d. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. 

Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD

As mentioned in an earlier blog, there are a number of symptoms associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Depending on the severity and nature of the symptoms, they are categorized and presented in many variations; they often are described as one of the following:

1. Inattention;
2. Hyperactivity; and
3. Impulsivity 

Inattention is the inability of the child to pay attention, and can include moderate to relatively severe variations of the following, as adapted from the National Institute of Mental Health (1):

·        Be easily distracted, miss details, forget things, and frequently switch from one activity to another

·        Have difficulty focusing on one thing

·        Become bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless they are doing something enjoyable

·        Have difficulty focusing attention on organizing and completing a task or learning something new

·        Have trouble completing or turning in homework assignments, often losing things (e.g., pencils, toys, assignments) needed to complete tasks or activities

·        Not seem to listen when spoken to

·        Daydream, become easily confused, and move slowly

·        Have difficulty processing information as quickly and accurately as others

·        Struggle to follow instructions.

Hyperactivity is described as over-activity during activities that generally require sublime tasks, and can include the following:

·        Fidget and squirm in their seats

·        Talk nonstop

·        Dash around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight

·        Have trouble sitting still during dinner, school, and story time

·        Be constantly in motion

·        Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.

Finally, impulsivity is described as a lack of patience, but can also include the following:

                                  ·        Blurting out inappropriate comments, showing their emotions without restraint, and acting without regard for consequences

·        Having difficulty waiting for things they want or waiting their turns in games

·        Dashing around, touching or playing with anything and everything in sight

Although the aforementioned behaviors may be observed in all children, the factor that separates children diagnosed with ADHD is the frequency and severity of the behaviors. There is no set test to determine whether or not a child has ADHD. To properly diagnose ADHD (2), a physician will typically ask the child’s parents, school and caregivers about the child’s behaviors.

In order to diagnose the child, the physician will determine whether the child’s behavior is significantly obtrusive relative to other children from a questionnaire (see image) usually adapted from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). Usually if the child expresses multiple behaviors from one of the symptoms of ADHD, they will be diagnosed with it.

Ultimately it is the physician’s best judgment to determine whether or not the child has ADHD. Check back next week to learn about the prognosis of ADHD, or how it progresses in the individual.

1) "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder." NIMH RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.

2) "Diagnosing ADHD: Tests for Kids and Adults." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 23 Sept. 2013.

Physiology of ADHD

Physiology is defined as the study of the function or mechanism of how a biological system works. In order to understand the onset and proliferation of ADHD, we must understand how a normal patient’s brain functions, or the patient’s physiology, before we can understand the differences that occur within a patient diagnosed with ADHD.

In one study conducted in 2004 using an MRI scanner at Yale University (2), the brains of 27 children (11 girls and 16 boys) with ADHD and those of 46 children of equal age and sex proportion were scanned and analyzed at UCLA. Elizabeth Sowell, MD and Bradley Peterson, MD observed significant differences in the brain structure of children with ADHD versus those who had not been diagnosed. Children with ADHD were observed to have brains with reduced size in the anterior temporal lobes on both sides of their brain. In areas of the brain previously identified as being regions which control attention and impulsive control, such as the posterior temporal and inferior parietal cortices, children with ADHD were found to have relatively larger increases in volumes of grey matter as compared with those who were not diagnosed. The following images show the differences in sizes of anatomy in healthy individuals brains compared with those diagnosed with ADHD.

In another study conducted by Julie Schweitzer (3), brain scans were taken in six men diagnosed with ADHD and compared with the control, which consisted of six healthy men of matched age and health characteristics. “What we’ve seen is that more areas of the brain are involved”, said Schweitzer (1), who used the latest brain technology (MRI) to reveal the brain’s inner workings. In the table shown, the relative anatomy sizes of the different regions of the men’s brains are compared.

Ultimately what the research conducted shows is that more activity is observed in brains of those with ADHD while completing tasks as compared with those who are healthy. This is thought to be caused by increased grey matter density in brains of patients diagnosed with ADHD, as well as reduced temporal lobe sizes. Check back next week for a more in depth discussion of the symptoms associated with ADHD. 

(1) "Establishing a Comprehensive ADHD Research and Treatment Program." UC Davis Health System Feature Story: Establishing a Comprehensive... N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Sept. 2013.

(2) Rosack, Jim. "Brain Scans Reveal Physiology of ADHD." Psychiatryonline.com. N.p., n.d. Web.

(3) Schweitzer, Julie, PhD. "Alterations in the Functional Anatomy of Working Memory in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder." N.p., 1 Feb. 2000. Web.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): An Introduction

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), also known as ADD, is the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorder. It presents symptoms that begin most often in children between the ages of 6-12, but these symptoms can continue into adolescence and adulthood. Approximately 5-6% of children have ADHD(3). Some of these symptoms include difficulty staying focused, paying attention and controlling behavior, as well as hyperactivity (or over-activity).

There is no definitive cause for the development of ADHD (1), but researchers believe that there are certain factors that may induce the disorder, such as:

• genetics;
• environmental factors;
• brain injuries; and 
• consumption of sugar or food additives.
  
   As more and more research has been conducted on the mechanism of ADHD, researchers have developed treatment options including counseling, lifestyle changes and medications (2); these treatments are often applied simultaneously.

 Throughout the following weeks, we will take a more in depth approach to how ADHD affects the lives of those diagnosed and their families. Check back next week for a discussion on the difference in physiology of a patient diagnosed with ADHD versus an individual without a diagnosis.

1.) "ADD and ADHD Center: Symptoms, Types, Causes, Tests, and Treatments." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
2.) "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)." NIMH RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
3.) Willcutt, Eric G. "The Prevalence of DSM-IV Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review - Springer." The Prevalence of DSM-IV Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analytic Review - Springer. N.p., 01 July 2012. Web. 02 Sept. 2013.
Image: http://img2.timeinc.net/health/images/gallery/condition-centers/causes-of-adhd-400x400.jpg