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Diagnoses |
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Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD, ADHD)Note: If you are having an emergency or have thoughts of harming yourself or someone else, please pick up a phone and dial 911. Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD, ADHD) or Hyperkinetic Disorder as officially known in the UK (though ADHD is more commonly used), is generally considered to be a developmental disorder, largely neurological in nature, affecting about 5% of the world's population.[1][2][3][4] The disorder typically presents itself during childhood, and is characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity, as well as forgetfulness, poor impulse control or impulsivity, and distractibility.[5][6] ADHD is currently considered to be a persistent and chronic condition for which no medical cure is available. ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in children and, over the past decade, has been increasingly diagnosed in adults. About 60% of children diagnosed with ADHD retain the disorder as adults.[7] The disorder appears to be highly heritable, with contributions on occasion from trauma or toxic exposure. Methods of treatment usually involve some combination of medications, behaviour modifications, life style changes, and counseling. Certain social critics are highly skeptical that the diagnosis denotes a genuine impairment and question virtually all that is known about ADHD. The symptoms of ADHD are not as profoundly different from normal behavior as are those of other chronic mental disorders. Still, by definition those with ADHD must display impaired functioning and many adverse life outcomes are also associated with ADHD. ADHD is a developmental neurological disorder. The term "developmental" means that certain traits such as impulse control significantly lag in development when compared to the general population. This developmental lag has been estimated to range between 30-40 percent in ADHD sufferers in comparison to their peers; consequently these delayed attributes are considered an impairment. ADHD has also been classified as a behavior disorder and a neurological disorder or combinations of these classifications such as neurobehavioural or neurodevelopmental disorders. These compounded terms are now more frequently used in the field to describe the disorder.[citation needed] Those with Predominately Inattentive ADHD often display few or no overt behaviors.[citation needed] During the elementary years an ADHD student will have more difficulties with work completion, productivity, planning, remembering things needed for school, and meeting deadlines[citation needed]. Oppositional and socially aggressive behaviour is seen in 40-70 percent of children at this age. Even ADHD kids with average to above average intelligence show "chronic and severe under achievement". Fully 46% of those with ADHD have been suspended and 11% expelled.[citation needed] Thirty seven percent of those with ADHD do not get a high school diploma even though many of them will receive special education services.[8] The combined outcomes of the expulsion and dropout rates indicate that almost half of all ADHD students never finish highschool.[9] Only five percent of those with ADHD will get a college degree compared to twenty seven percent of the general population. (US Census, 2003)
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