| One of America's most commonly misunderstood | | | | An individual with ADD is not getting sufficient |
| neurological conditions is Attention Deficit Disorder | | | | neuro-chemicals. In simpler terms, the sufferer lacks |
| (ADD). Many people lack a full understanding of the | | | | normal stimulation of the brain. As a result, the brain |
| disorder, and would not be able to identify it if they met | | | | attempts to increase the release of the chemicals with |
| a person with the condition. This article provides | | | | physical activities. This is not a conscious decision from |
| introductory information about ADD. | | | | people diagnosed with ADD. They really cannot help |
| People diagnosed with ADD find it difficult to pay | | | | themselves; hyperactivity becomes a reflex. |
| attention and focus on a given task. Motor | | | | Difficulties arise when sufferers face circumstances |
| restlessness and impulsive behavior are other | | | | that do not stimulate them, like school work, and try to |
| indications of the disorder. Reports suggest | | | | shift their attention to something that is stimulating to |
| approximately 4.4% of adults possess some degree | | | | them. Of course the school work is completely |
| of ADD. | | | | hampered by this, and school-age ADD typically don't |
| ADD generally affects three or four parts of the brain. | | | | perform well in their studies. |
| This causes multiple 'profiles' or 'styles' of diagnoses in | | | | Consider, for example, a friend's experience. This |
| children and adults with the condition. ADD is | | | | incident happened when research into the disease |
| understood as a neurobiological disorder, caused in the | | | | was in its infancy. Her child who would suddenly get up |
| brain by malfunctioning dopamine neurotransmitter | | | | on his desk at the start of class, and would begin to tell |
| systems. Genes play a big part in most cases. There | | | | jokes. Initially people thought he was trying to be funny |
| is a 30% chance of a child having ADD if a parent has | | | | and consciously disturb the others. But with time and |
| the disorder. In cases of twins, if one of the pair has | | | | awareness, the child was diagnosed with ADD. |
| ADD, the other's chances of being struck by the | | | | Personal relationships and permanent employment also |
| disease increase by 50%. There was once a belief | | | | become a cause of concern for people with ADD. |
| that ADD is caused by poor nutrition, but this has since | | | | Legal issue also crop up when ADD causes people to |
| shown to be a myth. In the same vein, allergies, drugs | | | | take dangerous chances with themselves and end up |
| and bad parenting have been discredited as causing | | | | doing careless things to stimulate themselves. |
| ADD. | | | | |