Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that is typically characterized by inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, although hyperactivity may or may not be present in all cases (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2000).ADHD is believed to affect between 3 percent to 5 percent of children living in the United States (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH], 2006). Although once believed to be limited exclusively to children, ADHD has also been recognized in adults.Approximately 50 percent of patients who are treated for ADHD as children will continue to require treatment after they become an adult (NIMH, 2006). The recommended treatment for ADHD includes a combination of medication, behavior modification, and psychotherapy (APA, 2000).Although ADHD medications have been prescribed to millions of children and adults, some parents of children who have ADHD and some adults who have the disorder have used alternative treatments, including nutritional treatments, behaviorist interventions, and other alternative forms of treatment.
Researchers who are familiar with ADHD agree that without appropriate treatment, ADHD in children and adults can lead to low self-esteem, inappropriate behavior, family conflict and social isolation (Atkinson & Hornby, 2002, p. 48).Overview of ADHDADHD affects the individual's ability to focus his or her attention on a specific task, the ability to control impulses, and the ability to control hyperactivity. (Castellanos, Lee, Sharp, Jefferies, et. al, 2002, p. 1747).
The disorder is believed to be caused by differences how the brain functions. Research using images of the brains of children who have ADHD has shown that the brains of children who have ADHD tend to be about 3 percent smaller than the brains of children who do not have the disorder (Castellanos, Lee, et. al, 2002, p. 1747).
There is also evidence that ADHD is a genetic aspect to the disorder. Children who have ADHD often have at least one parent or some other close relative who also has ADHD (Hebebrand, Dempfle, Saar, Thiele, et al., 2006).This genetic link can make treatment more difficult, especially if one or both parents of a child who has ADHD are themselves adults who have ADHD. Parents who have ADHD may forget to follow up on their child's treatment, including forgetting to give their child medication on a regular schedule. In many cases, the parent's ADHD may not be diagnosed and may not be treated.
These parents may have a difficult time accepting that their child's inappropriate behavior, which is similar to how they behaved when they were children, is the result of a neurological disorder and not just a normal part of childhood.In addition to problems with learning and other problems in the classroom, children who have ADHD often have a hard time forming friendships with other children. These children are often lonely, which can lead to other behavioral problems as the child tries to seek attention.ADHD affects all areas of the child's life, including some that teachers and parents may not consider. For example, children who have ADHD also tend to have more accidents and have higher than normal rates of avoidable injury than other children (NIMH, 2006).Studies on the driving records of adolescents with ADHD indicate that teens with ADHD have nearly four times as many automobile accidents, are more likely to cause bodily injury in accidents, and, on average, get three times as many speeding tickets as young drivers without ADHD (NIMN, 2006).Adults who have ADHD are more likely to be divorced, often have a difficult time finding or keeping a job, and tend to make impulsive decisions without any apparent regard for the possible consequences of their actions (Biederman, 2008).
