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ADHD
Introduction
Treatment
Prognosis
Research
References |
Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity
Disorder
Introduction
- What is
Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder?
Attention deficit-hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects 3-5 percent of all
American children. It interferes with a person's ability to stay on a task and
to exercise age-appropriate inhibition (cognitive alone or both cognitive and
behavioral). Some of the warning signs of ADHD include failure to listen to
instructions, inability to organize oneself and school work, fidgeting with
hands and feet, talking too much, leaving projects, chores and homework
unfinished, and having trouble paying attention to and responding to details.
There are several types of ADHD: a predominantly inattentive subtype, a
predominantly hyperactive-impulsive subtype, and a combined subtype.
Is
there any treatment?
The usual course of treatment may
include medications such as methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine
(Dexedrine) or pemoline (Cylert), which are stimulants that decrease impulsivity
and hyperactivity and increase attention. Most experts agree that treatment for
ADHD should address multiple aspects of the individual's functioning and should
not be limited to the use of medications alone. Treatment should include
structured classroom management, parent education (to address discipline and
limit-setting), and tutoring and/or behavioral therapy for the child.
What
is the prognosis?
There is no "cure" for ADHD.
Children with the disorder seldom outgrow it; however, some may find adaptive
ways to accommodate the ADHD as they mature.
What research
is being done?
Several components of the NIH support
research on developmental disorders such as ADHD. Research programs of the NINDS,
the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the National Institute of
Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) seek to address unanswered questions
about the causes of ADHD, as well as to improve diagnosis and treatment.
This
information is available courtesy of the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke. It is in the public domain and can be downloaded, reproduced,
or copied without permission. For more information go to
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorder_index.htm
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