ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder affects 8%-12% of children worldwide. In order to be diagnosed a child must display the symptoms of ADHD for six or more months. The following is a detailed explanation of the symptoms of ADHD.
Symptoms of inattention include:
* Being easily distracted and missing or forgetting details
* Having difficulty focusing on one thing at a time; frequently moving from one activity to another
* Becoming easily bored with a task after a very short time unless the task is enjoyable
* Difficulty staying organized and completing homework
* Appearing to not listen when spoken to
* Daydreaming, moving slowly and becoming easily confused
* Difficulty following directions
* Difficulty processing information as quickly and as accurately as others
Symptoms of hyperactivity include:
* Having a hard time sitting still during times when other children are sitting still
* Talking continually
* Seeming to touch or play with everything; moving from one object to another
* Difficulty performing quiet tasks or activities
Symptoms of impulsivity include:
* Extreme impatience
* Difficulty controlling emotions or blurting out inappropriate comments
* Seemingly no regard for consequences for decisions made
* Difficulty waiting for a turn in play activities
* Interrupting others
Causes of ADHD
There is much debate regarding the cause of ADHD. Current research, however, does not pinpoint one particular cause but many possible causes. Further these possible causes may influence or interact with each other to create a complex group of symptoms which are diagnosed as ADHD. To date some possible causes that have found some scientific support are:
* Environmental toxins
* Nutritional deficiencies
* Food allergies or intolerances
There are several factors influencing the outcome of drug therapy for adolescents with bipolar disorder. Since there is little data on effectiveness and safety of mood stabilizing drugs for youths, doctors must go by adult treatments which can be ineffective when used for teenagers or even dangerous. Another thing that can be problematic is getting the adolescent to recognize that they have a mental disorder that needs treatment. Teenagers are naturally more sensitive to what others think of them and are prone to deny having a mental illness of any sort. One important factor that can cause stumbling blocks for patients is that many psychoactive drugs can have annoying side effects.
Common side effects of mood stabilizing medications include stomach upset, drowsiness, low energy, headaches and weight gain. Generally the most annoying side effect for teenagers tends to be with weight gain. One of the most common and safest mood stabilizers is valproate (Depakote) but this drug almost always causes at least some weight gain. For some patients it can be a significant amount of weight. Often a teenager will fight against taking the drug because of fear of weight gain and it is the most common reason for an adolescent to refuse further medication.
Mood stabilizers can help bring symptoms under control but therapy will be needed for optimal long-term management of bipolar disorder. A good therapist will help educate the patient and teach them how to monitor their progress of gaining control over their disease. Therapy can teach tools to enable the sufferer to cope with the effects of the disease and also help them deal with any problems created by bipolar disorder. The more knowledge a person has about their disorder then the more control they will gain over their symptoms and course of the disease.
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