What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and over activity.

ADHD has three sub-types:

1. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive

● Most symptoms (six or more) are in the hyperactivity-impulsivity categories and fewer than six symptoms of inattention are present, although inattention may still be present to some degree.

2. Predominantly inattentive

● The majority of symptoms (six or more) are in the inattention categories and fewer than six symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present, although hyperactivity-impulsivity may still be present to some degree.

3. Combined hyperactivity-impulsive and inattentive

● Six or more symptoms of inattention and six or more symptoms of hyperactivity - impulsivity are present.

● Most children have the combined type of ADHD.

Possible causes:

1. Genes. Results from several international studies of twins show that ADHD often runs in families. Researchers are looking at several genes that may make people more likely to develop the disorder. Knowing the genes involved may one day help researchers prevent the disorder before symptoms develop. Learning about specific genes could also lead to better treatments.

2. Environmental factors. Studies suggest a potential link between smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy and ADHD in children. In addition, preschoolers are exposed to high levels of lead may have a higher risk of developing ADHD.

3. Food additives. Recent British research indicates a possible link between an increase in activity and consumption of certain food additives like artificial colors or preservatives. Research is under way to confirm the findings and to learn more about how food additives may affect hyperactivity.

Signs & symptoms:

Inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are the key behaviors of ADHD. To be diagnosed with the disorder, a child must have symptoms for six or more months and to a degree that is greater than other children of the same age.

Children who have symptoms of inattentive may:

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

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

● Have difficulty focusing attention on completing a task or learning something new.

● Not seem to listen when spoken to.

Children who have symptoms of hyperactivity may:

● Talk nonstop.

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

● Have trouble sitting still during dinner school and story time.

● Have difficulty doing quiet tasks or activities.

Children who have symptoms of impulsivity may:

● Be very impatient.

● Act without regard for consequences.

● Have difficulty waiting for things they want.

● Often interrupt conversations or others’ activities.

ADHD can be mistaken for other problems

Parents and teachers can miss the fact that children with symptoms of inattention have the disorder because they are often quiet and less likely to act out. They may get along well with other children, compared with those with the other sub-types, who tend to have social problems. But children with the inattentive kind of ADHD are not the only ones whose disorders can be missed. For example adults may think that children with the hyperactive and impulsive sub-types just have emotional or disciplinary problems.

【小题1】If a kid shows six symptoms of inattention and seven symptoms of hyperactivity -impulsivity, which of the subtypes of ADHD does he belong to?

A．Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive.

B．Predominantly inattentive.

C．Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive

D．It all depends.

【小题2】Which of the following causes of ADHD has been confirmed by scientific research?

A．Genes.	B．Smoking during pregnancy.
C．Food additives	D．Exposure to high levels of lead.

【小题3】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Kids who have symptoms of ADHD for more than four months can be diagnosed with ADHD.

B．The hyperactive and impulsive sub-types tend to be mistaken for emotional or disciplinary problems.

C．One of the symptoms of inattention is that kids become tired of a task easily even if they are doing something enjoyable.

D．It is claimed that artificial colors and preservatives have nothing to do with ADHD.