| Introduction | | | | disorders might at times mimic ADHD and mislead the |
| This is a type of mental disorder, which occurs | | | | doctors. Some disorders like bipolar disorder may |
| primarily in school-aged children but can also be | | | | accompany ADHD. Some children with ADHD may |
| diagnosed for the first time in the late teens esp., if | | | | eventually develop some conduct disorder or anxiety |
| some of its symptoms are left unnoticed. It was once | | | | or depression. Untreated the child is prone to both the |
| falsely thought that after puberty the children don't | | | | social and family problems besides decreased |
| need treatment. | | | | self-esteem. |
| These types of children are given special advantages | | | | Management |
| under Section 54 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. | | | | The first step in the diagnosis of the disorder is to |
| Diagnosis | | | | interview the parents and then the teachers although |
| The disorder, as described in DSM IV-TR, is best | | | | psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians or the |
| characterized by three main symptoms of impulsivity, | | | | teachers of the child can diagnose the disorder. |
| hyperactivity and inattention. For making a diagnosis in | | | | Generally the parents are not the first to notice. The |
| a child the disorder must start before age 7 and the | | | | best person to manage the child in this context is a |
| symptoms must continue for 6 months. Children having | | | | psychiatrist. There are basically two sets of |
| signs of impulsivity and hyperactivity are restless, | | | | management and both are to be given simultaneously |
| unpredictability, tendency to fail, difficult to stay seated | | | | in order to manage the child. The disorder might run |
| and blurting answers without even giving thought. | | | | forever. Nutrition and child psychotherapy do not seem |
| Feelings of inattention are getting distracted, making | | | | to help in the treatment. |
| careless mistakes and trying to finish off things very | | | | Medical |
| fast. Although they start very fast but quickly jump to | | | | Although there are different medications available in |
| another job without completing the former one. | | | | the market but the most effective ones are adderal, |
| Besides these other symptoms are vision problems | | | | Ritalin and strattera. Like all other CNS medicines, |
| such as double vision | | | | these are not without any side effects. For e.g. adderal |
| Cause | | | | has side effects of nervousness, irritability, dry mouth, |
| The cause is still not clear. Among the hypotheses are | | | | sleeplessness and stomach upset. Similarly Ritalin |
| anatomical structural problems in frontal lobes and the | | | | causes above symptoms and decreased appetite. |
| basal ganglia of the brain. Some propose the theory of | | | | Strattera comes with the side effects of insomnia and |
| genetics. Others claim that certain environmental | | | | anorexia. |
| causes are smoking and having alcohol in pregnancy. | | | | Counseling |
| Finally some hypothesize that taking artificial | | | | In a recent study long term combination therapy with |
| sweeteners and additives might be the cause. | | | | both the medical and the counseling were far better |
| Differential diagnosis | | | | than either of them alone. |
| Certain disorders such as autism, certain personality | | | | Shruti arora writes about Attention deficit hyperactivity |
| disorders, oppositional defiant disorder and learning | | | | disorder topics. |