What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

ADHD is an acronym for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a neurological problem that affects about 11% of children and nearly 5% of mature people in the United States. ADHD is a disability of the brain’s executive skills. People with this disorder have difficulty restraining impulses, concentrating and arranging things.

Findings from neuroscience, brain imaging and clinical studies demonstrate that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not a behavior disorder, mental illness or specific learning disability. On the contrary, it is a developmental problem with the brain’s self-regulation system that can affect both adults and kids.

Common ADHD symptoms include:

The indications of ADHD can differ from person to person. You or your child may have all, some or none of the symptoms listed above, or others specified in the DSM-V. It is often said that ADHD is like an iceberg, where a lot of the signs stay hidden deep down.

What Are the 3 Types of ADHD?

1. Primarily Inattentive ADHD (Formerly ADD)

Mainly those with inattentive ADHD have problems concentrating, getting through tasks, and obeying directions. They can be diverted without difficulty and tend to forget things often. They may be daydreamers who continually misplace homework, mobile phones, and conversations.

It is thought that numerous children suffering from the inattentive form of ADHD may go overlooked because they usually do not create a disruption to the learning atmosphere.

2. Primarily Combined Type ADHD

People with Combined Type ADHD show a blend of all the signs mentioned earlier. A doctor will only give this diagnosis if a patient meets the criteria for both Primarily Inattentive ADHD and 3. 

3. Primarily Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD

Which means they have to have 6 out of 9 symptoms from each category.

How Do Physicians Diagnose the Type of ADHD?

In the latest iteration of the DSM, the DSM-V, these subtypes are now referred to as “manifestations”. Scientists concluded that many individuals usually go from one form to another. For instance, a preschooler could initially appear mainly hyperactive-impulsive and then their degree of hyperarousal lessens during adolescence so that they fit into the primarily inattentive presentation. As an adult or a college student, this individual may transfer to the combined presentation.

The classifications of the subtypes were originally determined by visible behavioral indicators, overlooking subtler traits such as emotional instability, mental processes, and sleeping troubles. Behavioral markers do not accurately reveal all the key aspects of ADHD. Scientists are more and more cognizant of the non-behavioral characteristics in their investigations and diagnosis.

What Are the Symptoms of Each ADHD Subtype?

The symptoms of ADHD are spelled out in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), which lists nine symptoms that suggest ADHD–Primarily Inattentive and nine that suggest ADHD–Primarily Hyperactive/Impulsive. A kid could be identified as having ADHD if they display at least six of nine indicators and those signs have been visible for at least half a year in two or more places – such as at home and school. Older adolescents and adults may require to usually exhibit merely five of these symptoms in different circumstances.

What Are the Symptoms of ADHD – Primarily Inattentive Type?

What Are the Symptoms of ADHD – Primarily Hyperactive-Impulsive Type?

What Causes ADHD?

The sources of ADHD remain somewhat obscure. Studies point to genetics and inheritance having a significant influence in deciding who has ADHD. Notwithstanding, researchers are still probing whether certain genes, especially those connected to the neurotransmitter dopamine, have a distinct part in causing ADHD.

Further research suggests that exposure to certain chemicals may increase a child’s chances of developing ADHD.5

Rather than bad parenting, too much sugar or too many video games, ADHD is a neurological issue that can be identified through brain scans and other scientific investigations. This suggests that it is linked to biological differences in the brain of those who have it.