What Is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric disorder that affects children, 5-12% of school-aged children. Approximately 8-10% of males and 3-4 % of females under the age of 18 years, have ADHD. In 80% of these cases the adolescent will exhibit enough symptoms to be diagnosed as ADHD. Approximately 60% of adults will continue to show some core ADHD symptoms. In 1998 the National Institutes of Mental Health agreed that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is indeed a legitimate psychologic condition even though its definition has not been fully pinned down. ADHD is a syndrome generally characterized by inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. It is further categorized into three subtypes: behavior marked by hyperactivity and impulsivity but not inattentiveness; behavior that is marked by the reverse characteristics; and a mixed type. Some experts are concerned that these refinements may increase the diagnosis in children who may simply be aggressive. No laboratory or imaging test has yet detected specific abnormalities that might make a diagnosis of ADHD clearer. In addition, although, according to the criteria, ADHD is not diagnosed in people whose symptoms appear after age seven, some studies show that the disorder, particularly the subtype marked by inattentiveness, can first show up in older children and adolescents. Defining ADHD is made more difficult because it is often accompanied by learning disabilities and other neurologic or emotional problems. It is likely that, eventually, the term attention deficit hyperactivity disorder will give way to subgroups of problems that include some of these general symptoms.
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