It is a common neurobehavioral disorder, with about 11 percent of children ages 4 through 17 having been diagnosed.
The disorder is often chronic, with one third to one half of those affected retaining the condition into adulthood. It interferes with many areas of normal development and functioning in a child’s life.
ADHD is a function of developmental failure in the brain circuitry that monitors inhibition and self-control. This loss of self-regulation impairs other important brain functions crucial for maintaining attention, including the ability to defer immediate rewards for later gain. Behavior of children with ADHD can also include excessive motor activity.
Many risk factors have been associated with ADHD, including:
*prenatal factors (e.g., tobacco use, alcohol use, substance abuse),
*perinatal factors (e.g., low birth weight, prematurity),
*early postnatal factors (e.g., lead exposure, social environment).
*Also, family history of ADHD
*specific genetic conditions (e.g., Fragile X syndrome) can be associated with ADHD.
Symptoms of ADHD fall into three groups:
*Not being able to focus (inattentiveness).
*Being extremely active (hyperactivity).
*Not being able to control behavior (impulsivity). Some people with ADHD have mainly inattentive symptoms. Some have mainly hyperactive and impulsive symptoms. Others have a combination of different symptom types.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): Risk factors and symptoms
