What is ADHD DisorderAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also called ADHD disorder, is a mental condition that usually begins during childhood. In most cases, ADHD disorder begins to manifest when a child starts to attend school, although sometimes children as young as 3 years old already show the symptoms. There are instances when ADHD disorder is spotted in older children, who probably already had the condition but were able to offset the symptoms in other ways. As they grow older and the demands of school increase, they eventually reach the stage where the ADHD disorder cannot be masked anymore and they begin to show the symptoms. The mental disorder has been observed in teens, and recently also in adults. It is assumed that these people had the disorder during childhood but they were not diagnosed. ADHD disorder is caused by a neurological problem occurring in the brain. PET scans have shown that the brain activity and function of people having ADHD disorder differ from those who do not have it. The exact physiological explanation has not yet been established, though, and is still being studied. Seventy percent (70%) of ADHD disorder cases are inherited while 30% are acquired. This means that the mental disorder occurs in families and can be passed on from one generation to the next. ADHD disorder can also be acquired through different ways that negatively affect the brain, such as taking drugs while pregnant, suffering from an infectious disease, smoking while pregnant, and going through difficult delivery. The common symptoms of ADHD disorder include impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattentiveness. An impulsive child with ADHD disorder usually does things without thinking or considering his or her actions first. A hyperactive child usually stands out because he or she cannot keep still. The hyperactive child with ADHD disorder likes to run and climb on things, and is usually active even when the other children are already seated. An inattentive child usually daydreams and seems to be caught up in a different world. An inattentive child also has a difficult time focusing on a task and is easily distracted. |