Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

ADHD is a mental health disorder that can cause hyperactivity in behavior. People suffering from this may experience difficulty concentrating on a task or sitting for long periods of time. ADHD has a combination of several problems such as difficulty maintaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.

ADHD affects children and adolescents and can last until adulthood. It is the most common mental disorder in children. Children with ADHD may become overly active and unable to control their impulses. Such behavior interferes with school and home life.

ADHD is more common in boys than girls. It is usually diagnosed in the early years of school, when the child begins to have a problem of attention deficit.

Adults with ADHD may have trouble managing time, staying organized, setting goals, and finding jobs. They may have problems forming or maintaining relationships, lack of self-esteem and addiction problems.

Types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) –

How many types of ADHD are there?

There are three types of ADHD –

1. Predominantly inattentive ADHD

If you have this type of ADHD, you may experience symptoms related to attention deficit in comparison to emotional and hyperactivity. You may experience impulse control or hyperactivity problems at some point, but these are not the main symptoms of attention-related ADHD.

Those who experience it –

1. They forget things and get easily distracted.
2. Attention-related ADHD is diagnosed more in girls than boys.
3. They get bored quickly.
4. Walk slowly and feel as if they are daydreaming.
5. They have problems following the instructions.
6. Their ability to organize information is more slow and less accurate than others.
7. Do not listen to others.
8. They have trouble focusing on a single task.
9. Lose essential items such as pencils, papers or other items to complete a task.
10. They have difficulty organizing ideas and learning new information.

2. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive ADHD

This type of ADHD has symptoms of impulse and hyperactivity. People with this type of ADHD may exhibit signs of attention deficit, but these are not the main symptoms.

1. People who are often hyperactive are
2. Feeling nervous, worried or disquiet.
3. Troubles with sitting continuously.
4. They talk continuously.
5. Touch objects and play while still inappropriate.
6. Trouble taking part in quiet activities.
7. Goes on continuously.
8. Remain impatient.
9. Some also work and do not think about the subsequent results.
10. Replies and gives inappropriate comments.

3. Combination ADHD

If you have combination ADHD, it means that your symptoms do not come from attention deficit ADHD or hyperactivity-type ADHD only. Rather, both categories have symptoms.

Most people with or without ADHD experience some symptoms of attention deficit or hyperactivity but are more severe in people with ADHD. These occur more frequently and interfere with the work of your home, school, work and social situations.

Symptoms of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

What are the symptoms of ADHD?

In some children, ADHD symptoms may become noticeable at 2 or 3 years of age. Its symptoms are as follows –

1. Difficulty paying attention.
2. Often daydreaming.
3. Difficulty following instructions and ignoring others.
4. Often encountered problems in organizing tasks or activities.
5. Wandering off easily.
6. Often forgetting things and losing essential items, such as books, pencils or toys.
7. Often failing to complete school work, job or other tasks.
8. Frequent distraction or panic.
9. Having difficulty sitting for long and being in constant motion.
10. Being too talkative.
11. Often speaking in the midst of others’ conversations.
12. Often having trouble waiting for their turn.
13. ADHD occurs more in men than women and the behavior of boys and girls may vary.

Causes and risk factors of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

What causes ADHD?

The exact cause of ADHD is not yet known. Researchers say that it may involve many things. like –

1. Heredity – ADHD can be a problem occurring in families.
2. Chemical imbalances – Brain chemicals may be out of balance in people with ADHD.
3. Brain changes – Focused brain area is less active in children with ADHD..
4. Some toxic substances – Poor nutrition, infection, smoking, alcohol, and substance abuse during pregnancy can affect a child’s brain development.
5. Brain injury or neurological disorder – An injury to the frontal part of the brain can cause problems in controlling impulses and emotions.

ADHD cannot be prevented or cured, but early diagnosis, good treatment, and education planning can help a child or adult suffering from managing their symptoms.

What are the risk factors for ADHD?

Following are the risk factors of ADHD –

1. Relatives suffering from ADHD or any other mental health disorder (Like mother, father or brother).
2. Exposure to certain environmental toxins. Such as lead found in the paint and pipes of old buildings.
3. Drinking or smoking during pregnancy.
4. Exposure to environmental toxins such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) during pregnancy.
5. Premature birth.

Prevention of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)

How can avoid having ADHD?

To protect your child from ADHD –

1. Avoid anything during pregnancy that can harm fetal development. Do not use alcohol, smoking and drugs and avoid exposure to environmental toxins.
2. Protect your child from some pollutants and toxins such as cigarette smoke, agricultural or industrial chemicals and lead paint (found in some older buildings).
3. Although it has not been proven yet, children up to five years of age may have ADHD problems due to excessive use of TV, video games and mobiles.

Diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

How is ADHD diagnosed?

There is no single test that can diagnose you or your child’s ADHD. A recent study highlighted the benefits of a new test for diagnosing adult ADHD, but many clinicians believe that ADHD diagnosis cannot be made on a test basis.

1. To diagnose it, your doctor will assess your or your child’s symptoms for up to the last six months.
2. Your doctor will seek information from teachers or family members and use checklists and rating scales to review symptoms.
3. The doctor will perform a physical test to check for other health problems.

If you suspect that your child has ADHD problem, talk to your doctor about the diagnosis. For your child, you can also talk to a counselor at her school. Schools regularly examine children’s problems, which may affect their academic performance.

For diagnosis, tell your doctor or counselor about your child’s behavior. If they suspect ADHD, they may refer you or your child to an ADHD specialist. Depending on the diagnosis, they may also suggest going to a psychiatrist or neurologist.

Treatment of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

How is ADHD treated?

Many symptoms of ADHD can be managed with medication and therapy.

Medicines

Stimulant medications can help control hyperactive and impulsive behavior and increase attention span. However, stimulant medicines do not work for everyone, so non-stimulant medicines can be given to people over six years of age.

Dietary supplements containing omega-3s may show some benefits. The FDA of the United States has approved a medical food called virgin, which contains omega-3, and is available only when prescribed by a doctor.

Therapy

These treatments focus on behavior change.

1. Special education helps the child to learn in school. Having structure and being regular can help children with ADHD a lot.
2. Behavior modification teaches how to change bad behavior.
3. Psychotherapy (Consultation) can teach better ways to organize emotions. It can also help a person with ADHD improve their self-esteem. Consultation can help family members better understand their child with ADHD.
4. Social skills training can improve behavior.

Complications of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

What complications can occur from ADHD?

ADHD can make life difficult for children, Children with ADHD –

1. Often struggle in classes, which can lead to failure in studies.
2. Accidents and injuries are more experienced.
3. Face low self-esteem.
4. Experience difficulty interacting with peers and adults.
5. Alcohol and drug abuse and other criminal behavior are more at risk of doing.

1. Medicines for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

There are many medications available for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). All these medicines are given below. But keep in mind that you should not take any medicines without consulting your doctor. Taking medicines without doctor’s advice can cause serious damage to your health.

Medicines name –

1. Arkapres
2. Atokem
3. Attentrol
4. Attera
5. Axepta
6. Arkamin
7. Acnechio M
8. Addwize OD
9. Addwize
10. Bjain Tarentula hispana Dilution
11. Catapres
12. Clodict
13. Celadrin
14. Cloneon
15. Corectia M
16. Cystop M
17. Concerta
18. Docowize
19. Gonadil Myo
20. Gdm
21. Hope F
22. Hexolip
23. Inspiral
24. Liv Apt
25. Metafolate
26. Mychiro
27. Met Innovfol
28. Met Pco Care
29. Metital
30. Meth OD
31. Myocyst M
32. Oosure
33. Ovarium
34. Ovanex
35. Omegaven
36. Starkid
37. SBL Tarentula hispana Dilution
38. Schwabe Tarentula hispana CH
39. StayHappi Myo Inositol + Metformin HCl Tablet
40. Tomoxetin
41. 2 Sitol
42. Zipcoz

OTC Medicines for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) –

There are many medications available for ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). All these medicines are given below. But keep in mind that you should not take any medicines without consulting your doctor. Taking medicines without doctor’s advice can cause serious damage to your health.

Medicines name –

1. Aniracetam
2. ADDTabz
3. AdderRx
4. Addrena
5. Alpha Brain
6. Noopept
7. Qualia Mind