Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

 

The acronym ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means it influences how your brain develops. Fidgeting, difficulty paying attention, and loss of items are among the symptoms that appear before the age of 12. ADHD is curable with medication and therapy that manage symptoms and improve daily life.

Also Read: Brain diseases: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment & Prevention

What is ADHD?

Learn more about ADHD from Carrie Cuffman, MD.

ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a condition that alters the way your brain functions. Despite the name, ADHD does not indicate a lack of attention. It means you'll have a tougher time controlling your attention and directing it to certain tasks. ADHD symptoms include difficulty focusing, sitting still, and impulsive behaviors. However, it also allows you to "get in the zone" and focus on activities that you really enjoy.

ADHD symptoms appear in childhood (usually between the ages of 3 and 6) and can continue into adulthood. However, some people don't receive a diagnosis until they are adults. There is no cure for ADHD, however, drugs and behavioral therapies can help with symptoms.

Millions of children in the United States have ADHD (about one in ten kids aged three to seventeen). If your child has ADHD, spend some time learning the facts—and the myths. Connecting with other parents whose children have ADHD will help you find ways to support your child.

ADHD types:

Healthcare providers identify children and adults with four types of ADHD:

• Inattentive ADHD. This includes difficulties focusing, completing work, and remaining organized. This type produces minimal or no hyperactive symptoms.

• ADHD is defined as being hyperactive and impulsive. This includes trouble sitting still or enjoying "quiet time." You have plenty of energy and are quite communicative. You may also interrupt people or act without thinking things through first. You may demonstrate less obvious difficulties with paying attention.

• Combined presentation.  This is the most common type of ADHD, and it is what most people connect with the condition.  You exhibit a high level of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.

•  Unspecified presentation.  This occurs when you experience significant symptoms that interfere with your daily activities but do not match the official criteria for the types outlined above.  In this instance, physicians diagnose "unspecified ADHD".

 Providers also use the categories mild, moderate, and severe to express how much symptoms interfere with daily life.

ADHD symptoms:

ADHD symptoms are classified into two major groups:

• Symptoms of inattention. These symptoms impair your ability to focus on and complete an activity from beginning to end. You could put off tasks that need concentration. You may also appear inattentive when someone talks to you and frequently misplace stuff.

• Symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity. These symptoms impair your ability to sit still or remain comfortable in one spot. You may also have difficulty waiting for your turn to speak or do something.

Each group contains nine symptoms, which are described below. Keep in mind that these are frequent habits among many children. If your child exhibits some of these behaviors on occasion, they may not have ADHD. Healthcare providers have certain criteria for diagnosing ADHD.

Symptoms of inattention:

You might notice your child:

• Avoids tasks requiring prolonged attentiveness.

• Does not pay attention to details or makes apparent casual blunders.

• Individuals with this trait tend to forget tasks and become quickly sidetracked by their surroundings or thoughts.

• Individuals who struggle with organization may struggle to stay focused on tasks, such as listening to presentations or reading long passages.

• Loses stuff they need, such as school papers or eyeglasses.

• When someone speaks directly to them, they appear to be distracted or daydreaming.

• Starts a task quickly, but then gets sidetracked and doesn't finish it (this may affect things like finishing their chores or doing their homework).

Symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity

You might notice your child:

• fidgets or makes smaller motions with their hands or feet, especially while sitting down to eat or do homework.

• Frequently gets up from a seated position and struggles with calm activities.

• Has difficulties waiting their turn to do things.

• Interrupts what others are doing—for example, leaping into a game that other youngsters are playing or snatching someone's toy without permission.

• Jumps, climbs, runs, or feels restless when they should keep still.

• It appears that they are always "on the go" or "driven by a motor"

• Speaks out of turn or completes others' sentences.

• Talks more than one might expect.

Causes:

ADHD has a hereditary basis. This indicates that your child was born with gene alterations that produce differences in brain development (neurodivergence). Often, the DNA alterations that cause ADHD are passed down via families. Children with ADHD frequently have biological parents or siblings with the disease.

Researchers continue to investigate how ADHD affects the brain. Here's everything we know so far. ADHD affects the frontal lobe of your child's brain, making it difficult for them to employ directed attention. Directed attention is the ability to concentrate on something bland.

We employ focused attention to plan, multitask, and solve issues (executive functions). Using focused attention can require a lot of energy, especially when there are other, more attractive things around us.

If your child has ADHD, directing their attention to tasks requires significantly more work than usual. That means that after a long day at school, your child may avoid completing a seemingly easy chore, such as hanging up their coat or backpack. They simply lack the necessary focus to complete these "basic" chores.

Risk Factors:

Experts believe that certain people are genetically predisposed to ADHD. In other words, the individual's genes predispose them to having ADHD. However, certain environmental factors tilt the balance, causing ADHD to develop.

Environmental risks include:

• Exposure to some poisons during fetal growth, including nicotine, alcohol, and lead

• Low birth weight (the lower the weight, the greater the risk).

• Premature birth

Complications of This Condition:

ADHD can influence how your child perceives themselves and interacts with the world around them. Without correct therapy, your child may develop:

• Low self-esteem.

• Poor grades an inability to achieve their full potential

• Difficulty in social situations, partially due to peers teasing them or refusing to hang out with them.

• An increased risk of developing substance use disorders as they get older.

• Frequent driving accidents and injuries

• Trouble acquiring and keeping a job when they’re older

How do doctors diagnose ADHD?

Healthcare providers diagnose ADHD based on the presence or absence of specific symptoms. They employ the DSM-5-TR criteria.

If all of the following conditions are met, your child will be diagnosed with ADHD.

• Your child exhibits at least six symptoms from one category. Or they exhibit at least six symptoms from each category (for a total of twelve or more).

• Symptoms appeared before age 12.

• Symptoms occur in at least two settings (for example, at home and school).

• Symptoms disrupt your child's daily activities and friendships.

• Other medical conditions are not responsible for these symptoms.

There is no lab test (such as blood or urine) that can detect ADHD.  Instead, healthcare experts do what is known as an ADHD assessment.  This involves talking with you, your child, and others — such as friends, family members, and teachers — to discover more about your child's behaviour.

 The process of diagnosis consists of three steps.  Providers:

•  Identify clusters of behaviors associated with attention and activity.

•  Eliminate alternate explanations of these behaviors (such as depression or anxiety).

•  Confirm the presence of any coexisting conditions (see below).

Children with ADHD frequently have various mental health conditions including:

• Anxiety 

• Depression

• Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

They could potentially have another neurological disorder, such as autism or a learning difficulty. Your child's doctor may request extra investigations to help diagnose or rule out these other conditions.

What do I need to know about ADHD treatment?

ADHD treatments fall into two main groups: behavioral interventions (that teach practical skills) and medication. The specific treatment approach differs depending on the patient's age and needs.

If your child has ADHD, their physician may recommend any of the following:

• Parental training.  Therapists teach you how to assist your child build their strengths and improve challenging behaviors.  For example, you will learn how to set a routine for your child, encourage positive behaviors, and deal with negative ones.

•  Social skill groupings.  Your youngster could benefit from social skills training groups.  These programs meet for one or two hours every week for six to twelve weeks.  In a supervised environment, your child learns new ways to engage with classmates.

• Medication (pharmacotherapy). ADHD medications help your child use directed attention more effectively, which improves symptoms and, more crucially, their quality of life and relationships. Providers monitor your kid to assess how well the medications are working and if there are any side effects. They change medicine types and dosages as needed.

The goal of ADHD treatment is to alleviate symptoms as your child goes about their regular activities. Providers urge parent training before administering medicine to younger children (ages 4 and 5). The most effective treatment for older children, adolescents, and adults is typically a combination of behavioral treatments and medication.

There is currently no evidence that typical "talk" or "play" therapies benefit children with ADHD. However, your child's clinician may offer such therapies for co-occurring conditions.

References:

• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). Psychosocial Treatments (https://chadd.org/for-parents/psychosocial-treatments/). Accessed 3/11/2025.

• U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Treating and Dealing with ADHD (https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/treating-and-dealing-adhd). Last updated 8/28/2023. Accessed 3/11/2025.

• American Academy of Pediatrics. Behavior Therapy for Children with ADHD (https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Behavior-Therapy-Parent-Training.aspx). Last updated 3/18/2024. Accessed 3/11/2025.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Data and Statistics on ADHD (https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/data/index.html). Accessed 3/11/2025.

• American Psychiatric Association. What is ADHD? (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd) Reviewed 6/2022. Accessed 3/11/2025.

• Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). Social Skills Interventions (https://chadd.org/for-parents/social-skills-interventions/). Accessed 3/11/2025.

• American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision (TR). Arlington, VA, American Psychiatric Association; 2022.

• Kian N, Samieefar N, Rezaei N. Prenatal risk factors and genetic causes of ADHD in children (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35235183/). World J Pediatr. 2022 May;18(5):308-319. Accessed 3/11/2025.