ADHD Facts and Other Info: ADHD Awareness Month

Let’s learn ADHD facts. Have you ever heard about ADHD or “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?” This month of October, we’re not only celebrating World Mental Health Month. We have to celebrate ADHD awareness month. There are lots of people who are not familiar with ADHD. That is why most people with ADHD are not represented. In fact, there are 6.1 million children diagnosed with the condition. In the US, 3 out of 4 children with ADHD remain untreated. Some individuals are also undiagnosed due to less ADHD awareness.

For those who don’t know what is ADHD or “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder”, it is a neurological disorder common in childhood. Children as young as 2 years old can be diagnosed with ADHD. The symptoms include bouts of inattention and hyperactivity that can affect normal functioning and development. Even though it mostly occurs in young children, its symptoms can persist to adolescence and adulthood when left untreated. In this blog, we will be talking facts about ADHS as well as other important information in honor of the ADHD awareness month. 

What causes ADHD? ADHD Facts

ADHD has no distinct cause. However, researchers say that some factors may be possibly causing the condition. These are genetics, brain functioning, prenatal issues, head injuries, and, premature birth. When it comes to genes, ADHD can be inherited from direct family members with low levels of dopamine. The condition may also be because of the brain’s low metabolism. Brain development of a child will also affect their attention span, social development, and movement.

If there are prenatal issues before birth, there are chances that the child can have ADHD. Drinking, smoking, and other vices can affect a child’s development. Premature birth can also be a key factor, as an underdeveloped brain can play a vital role in attention and hyperactivity. Head injuries whether it be a concussion or a serious head injury is also found to cause ADHD. In new research, it is found that hypothyroidism among mothers may cause ADHD in their children.

How is ADHD Diagnosed?

According to the DSM-V, Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD has no standardized test to determine its diagnosis. Though there is recent research in the University of Buffalo that brain connectivity can be a biomarker to detect ADHD in infancy. However, it is still underdeveloped research. Other researches are also being conducted to diagnose ADHD early at birth and create effective intervention methods for the condition.

When diagnosing ADHD. a group of specialists such as doctors, social workers, and occupational therapists have to collaborate with each other to assess the child. It is done through the process of interviewing and conducting physical and psychological tests that help make the diagnosis. The doctors, social workers, and occupational therapists have to check if your child has the symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity for over the duration of six months.

The symptoms in detail can be described as:

• Is unusual for the person’s age (a higher level of hyperactivity, alarming inattentive moments)
• Affects the quality of life of the person at home and the people around them.
• A constant pattern of at least all the symptoms under inattention and/or hyperactivity

Inattention and Hyperactivity: What’s With Them?

Let’s take a deep look at the main determinants of the condition.

The person with obvious inattention might:

1. Be poor in attention to details – people with ADHD are less sensitive to details and are inaccurate in doing detail-oriented tasks.
2. Short attention span – they can’t keep up doing one task at a time, which leads them to leave the task unfinished. Another situation is that they can’t stay on one topic.
3. Absent-mindedness – when people with ADHD are talking to someone, they have trouble being in the moment of actual listening.  They have difficulty listening to what others are saying.
4. Have difficulty following instructions – they may understand the instructions,  they can’t fully implement it to the extent of finishing the whole project. Even in a group setting, they find it hard to follow the assigned tasks which lead to disagreement among the group. 
5. Disorganised – ADHD patients are often messy in organising their stuff, tasks, schedule, and homework together. They often avoid workloads that require serious mental focus such as homework, public speaking and other tasks.
6. Frequent daydreaming and distraction – children with ADHD often daydream and are stuck in their own world. They’re also easily distracted with buzzing and loud noises.

Kids with ADHD  hyperactivity may:

1. Active motor movements – Children that fidget with or taps hand, and squirm upon seating are likely to have ADHD.
2. Restlessness – they find it difficult to keep themselves in one place. They get up frequently to walk or run even in classrooms, restaurants, etc. 
3. Loud – people with ADHD can’t seem to do things quietly, disrupting peace around the surroundings. They also tend to talk a lot.
4. Impulsive – They often do things without thinking it through. Kids are most likely to be impulsive; interrupting others and intruding on people’s work or leisure time.
5. Start conversations even in inappropriate situations – Kids and adults with ADHD sometimes converse during situations that need no conversation.

ADHD Facts: Does Therapy Work?

Yes, therapy works as an intervention method for people with ADHD. There are a number of therapies used to treat ADHD patients:

• Behavioral therapy – aims to improves a child’s behavior particulary in attention, and self-control areas.
• Parent training – some individuals with ADHD involve parent and family therapy so they will know how to deal with their child
• Music therapy – also known as listening therapy that will align the brain’s attention and listening skills to modify behavior.

Wait, what? Music Therapy?

Though Music or listening therapy is used to help many patients suffering from severe brain trauma, autism, and Alzheimer’s disease, it can be used for people with attention deficit disorder (ADHD). So how does music or listening therapy work?

• Rewiring the brain through rhythmic structure. According to Kirsten Hutchison, a music therapist that music contains which is a structure that regulates mood and thinking of ADHD patients. It encourages their brain to stay on a linear path. Music can help their brain to  stay focused, thinking critically, and cool down irritability.

• Reactivating neural synapses. Neural synapses work best with the brain’s happy hormone, Dopamine which is also the reward hormone. When we look at brain imaging scans, we can see that music significantly has an impact on both lobes of the brain. If there is continual neural synapse, the brain is reinforced to help improve functionality. The results would be an attentive brain and stronger control of emotions.