How to Know If You Have ADHD
ADHD is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose. Many people do not know they have ADHD until their symptoms become more severe in adulthood.
If you suspect that you have ADHD, see a mental health professional for an evaluation. A diagnosis can help you manage your symptoms and get treatment to improve your life.
What Are The Symptoms Of ADHD
ADHD is a brain disorder that can affect both children and adults. It can cause a person to be distracted by things that aren’t important, have trouble staying focused on tasks, and may be easily impulsive.
For children, ADHD symptoms tend to show up around age 12 on average. But it’s possible to be diagnosed earlier, especially if the child is struggling with schoolwork or other activities.
Symptoms can also vary from person to person and may not be as severe at other times in their life. Adults with ADHD may have difficulty managing their time, getting organized, and making friends.
If you’re worried about someone you know, get them evaluated by a doctor or mental health professional. They can help you decide if they have ADHD and find out what treatment works best for them.
Causes Of ADHD
Children develop attention, self-control and activity skills as they grow. But ADHD happens when these skills don’t develop as well as they should.
The condition is mostly inherited, but can be caused by environmental factors. For example, low birth weight, premature birth and exposure to toxins (alcohol, smoking, lead) during pregnancy have been linked to the disorder.
In addition, a child’s frontal lobe isn’t developing as quickly as other kids. This causes trouble controlling impulses, learning from mistakes and changing habits.
Even with good parenting, this dysregulation of the brain can’t be fixed without help from a medical professional. Treatment is a mix of medication and behavior change. It can improve your or your child’s symptoms, boost self-esteem, and promote a healthier lifestyle. It can also improve relationships, work and school performance.
Getting Diagnosed With ADHD
The only way to get a proper diagnosis of ADHD is through a clinical evaluation. That’s a detailed and nuanced process that involves an interview, medical history review, completing normed rating scales by loved ones, educators and colleagues, and a thorough investigation of co-occurring conditions.
The diagnostic criteria are established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Children must have six or more of the symptoms listed for either of the two main ADHD presentations – predominately inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive – in order to receive a diagnosis.
Many adults have trouble remembering events from their childhood, so it’s important for clinicians to request that parents fill out a retrospective profile of their child’s behavior. This can be done before the evaluation or during the appointment.
Risk Factors Of ADHD
ADHD is a condition that can be caused by genetics, environmental factors or central nervous system problems at key moments in development. Several factors can increase your child’s risk for developing ADHD, including exposure to toxins in the environment or prenatal substance use (such as smoking or alcohol use).
The DRD5 gene is a gene that is known to be associated with ADHD in some cases. However, the gene’s influence on ADHD has been found to be heterogeneous across studies.
Other factors that are known to be linked to ADHD include nutrition, sleep and exercise. These healthy lifestyle factors can help your child manage symptoms and reduce the need for medication. They also help improve your child’s quality of life and can be beneficial for the entire family.
Complications Of ADHD
When symptoms of ADHD interfere with a person’s daily life, they can lead to complications. They can impact a child or teen’s education, social relationships and health.
Often, a child with ADHD has problems in school or at home that are related to a learning disorder (LD). A learning disability is one of the most common conditions that can co-occur with ADHD.
In addition, a person with ADHD may have problems with anxiety or depression. This is especially true when symptoms of ADHD are not treated or don’t improve with medication and therapy.
Fortunately, there are treatments for most of these conditions. These include medications, behavioral therapy and a combination of these approaches. The treatment that works best for you or your child depends on many factors, including the severity of the symptoms and the person’s age.
