What is ADHD?

ADHD in children is a variation in the development of their brains; hence, it can impair their attention and self-control.

ADHD is typically first diagnosed in childhood but often continues into adulthood. Children with ADHD often have difficulty paying attention, controlling impulsivity (they might act without thinking about what the outcome will be), or maybe overactive.ADHD makes it challenging for people to:

• Control their behavior.
• Pay attention.
• Control overactivity.
• Control their mood.
• Keep themselves organized.
• Focus.
• Obey instructions.
• Sit quietly.

What are the types of ADHD?

There are three different ways ADHD presents itself, depending on which types of symptoms are strongest in the individual at the time of diagnosis:

• Predominantly inattentive presentation
• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation
• Combined presentation (a combination of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms)

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

The main features of ADHD include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. Symptoms of ADHD begin before age 12 years, and in some children, they are evident as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms may range from mild to severe and may persist into adulthood.

ADHD is more prevalent among males than females. Some behaviors are different in boys than girls. For example, males tend to be very active and hyperactive. On the other hand, girls tend to quietly have a problem with being attentive.

Inattention

A child who often demonstrates inattention may often:

• Fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork
• Have difficulty sustaining effort on tasks or play; may appear not to listen
• Difficulty following instructions due to insufficient attention; difficulties in completing tasks and finishing schoolwork, chores, etc.
• Trouble completing tasks
• Avoid or become easily disinterested in tasks that involve sustained mental effort, like homework
• Lose items required for tasks or activities, such as toys, school work, pencils
• Easily distracted
• Forget to perform some daily activities, like forgetting to do chores

Hyperactivity and impulsivity

A child who displays a consistent pattern of hyperactive and impulsive symptoms often:

• Fidgets or fiddles with hands or feet or squirms in seat
• Has difficulty remaining in seat in the classroom or other contexts
• Be constantly on the move
• Run around or climb on inappropriate occasions
• Have problems playing or doing an activity quietly
• Talk too much
• Answer before the question has been completed
• Find it hard to wait for their turn
• Intrude or interrupt others' conversations, games or activities

What origins does ADHD have?

Though not one specific cause, it has become apparent that several factors combined might be producing this attention deficit hyperactivity disorder simply called ADHD.

Again, other causes and risk factors that might play a part in getting ADHD include the following:

• Lead exposure.
• Brain anatomy.
• Substance use during pregnancy.
• Premature birth.
• Low birth weight.

None of these below are causes for ADHD:

• Allergies.
• Immunizations.
• Overeating sugar.
• Too much time staring at screens.
• Poor parenting.
• Socio-economic and environmental factors poverty.

What are the complications of ADHD?

ADHD, without treatment, has many potential long-term complications. These complications may include the following:

• Low self-esteem.
• Depression and anxiety.
• Eating disorders.
• Sleep problems.
• Substance use disorder.
• Risky acts or impulsive behaviors.
• High rate of accidents and injuries while driving.
• Trouble maintaining relationships with family and peers.
• Low academic achievements.
• Employment instability.

How to get diagnosed with ADHD?

The best way to start if you are considering the possibility that your child may have ADHD is to contact their doctor. Your pediatrician or other specialist will evaluate your child using a set of guidelines  Pediatrics for children ages 4 to 17. These guidelines are not intended for children younger than 4 because they typically have rapid changes in behavior, and overactivity or inattention at this age is common. The diagnosis might also be complicated for the teenagers as they mostly suffer from multiple conditions like anxiety or depression.

The test for ADHD does not make diagnosing the condition easy. The child's provider will take multiple steps and gather a lot of information put together to arrive at the diagnosis. The major factor is many people observing the behaviors of a child in different settings, such as in school, and at home. This means that your child will have to be evaluated by a number of people who including:

• You.
• Your child.
• Your child's healthcare provider.
• Your child's teachers and other staff members.
• Your child's other caregivers.

Based on this information, your child's provider will determine the relative behavior of your child with that of other children his or her age. Then, based on all the reported information regarding your child, their symptoms will be matched with the guidelines in the DSM-5-TR to help in diagnosing ADHD. According to the DSM-5-TR:

• Your child's symptoms must be evident in at least two different areas (home, school, and social situations) and impair functioning.
• Your child's provider must indicate the presence or absence of at least six symptoms.
• Your child's symptoms must severely impair functioning in daily living areas.
• The symptoms must have been present before the child's twelfth birthday.

After having assessed your child and their symptoms, they can then give a diagnosis with the type of ADHD. A proper assessment of behavior is very crucial; this is not just a neuropsychological test for attention. Many children who are so intelligent may do well in school even though they present inattentive symptoms.

How is ADHD treated?

For most children with ADHD, treatment is most effective when using a combination of behavior therapy and medication. For preschool-aged children (4-5 years of age) diagnosed with ADHD, behaviour therapy, such as training for parents, should be considered the first step in treatment before medication. What will work best for the child and family can vary. Treatment plans will include careful monitoring, follow-ups, and changes if needed in the process.

Managing symptoms: Staying healthy

Keeping the body healthy is important for everyone; however, this is necessary for the individual with ADHD. A healthy lifestyle will ease symptoms from the disorder, alongside behavioral therapy and medication. Following are the healthy practices that are considered beneficial:

• Healthy eating such as having lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins
• Physical activity based on the age is engaged with every day
• Reducing the time spent on TVs, computers, phones, and other gadgets emitting their screens.
• Most of the sleep is according to the age

How to prevent ADHD?

According to various scientists, genetics is the leading cause of ADHD development; hence, no techniques prevent the inevitable appearance of the condition.

Some risk factors are avoidable; however, pregnant women are advised to stay clear of toxins, such as alcohol and tobacco products along with illicit drugs. This might further reduce their risk, as the researchers are still clueless as to how to avoid or mitigate the risk factors surrounding the prevalence and incidence of ADHD.

What does this condition look like in the long term?

The prognosis for ADHD is very good if your child receives treatment. Most children lead healthy lives when treated with behaviour therapy and medication.

If not treated, individuals with ADHD may have poorer outcomes and lifelong complications. These include:

• Trouble managing daily activities
• Other mental health conditions
• Substance use disorders
• Academic or job-related issues such as school failure and frequent job changes.

What do I need to ask the doctor about my child?

• What ADHD type does my child have?
• Does my child have a learning disability in addition to ADHD? (This requires special testing.)
• How do I explain to my child what ADHD is? (Usually, emphasis on difference rather than disorder is most appropriate in explanations for children.)
• How do I talk to my child's teachers about their ADHD?
• What are the side effects of the medications on my child?
• If my child has ADHD, am I presumed to have the condition, too?

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