How to Know If You Have ADHD
If you think you or your child has ADHD, it’s important to get a diagnosis so you can start getting the right treatment.
A doctor will use a number of tools to diagnose ADHD. These may include a checklist of symptoms, answers to questions about past and present problems, and a medical exam.
What Are The Symptoms Of ADHD
ADHD is a brain disorder that causes trouble with attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. This can affect your home, work, and social life.
The symptoms of adhd can be hard to pinpoint, but doctors will be able to find out if they are present in your child by looking at their medical records and talking with you.
Doctors will also check for other health or learning problems, like sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression. Often, they treat the ADHD along with these other issues.
Getting diagnosed with ADHD isn’t always easy, but it can help your child get the treatment they need. Having the right medication, behavioral therapy, and other treatment helps kids manage their symptoms better and lead healthier lives.
Causes Of ADHD
If you think your child has ADHD, make an appointment with their doctor. Then, they’ll do a health check to make sure there aren’t any other health problems or learning issues that are causing the symptoms.
They’ll also look for any other mental health disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder, anxiety, tic disorder or Tourette syndrome, and sleep problems.
There are two main types of ADHD — attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity/impulsivity (ADHD-HI). The first type, inattentive, causes a person to have trouble paying attention. The second, hyperactive/impulsive, causes a person to act quickly and uncontrollably.
Getting Diagnosed With ADHD
ADHD is a disorder that affects the way you think and behave. If you suspect you may have this disorder, getting a diagnosis is an important first step.
A good diagnosis starts with a clinical interview to gather information about your medical history and mental health issues. This can help identify if there are other conditions or illnesses that may be causing your symptoms, such as stress or a thyroid problem.
Your doctor may also ask for feedback from people who know you well. These can include a spouse or parent for an adult and a teacher, coach, or nanny for a child.
Risk Factors Of ADHD
The exact cause of ADHD is still unclear, but there are a few things that may contribute. Those include genetics, the environment and issues at key moments in a child’s development.
Children with ADHD often have a family history of the disorder. It is estimated that a child with ADHD has a 1 in 4 chance of having a parent who has it as well.
In addition, women who smoke during pregnancy and are overweight may have a higher risk of developing ADHD. Exposure to certain toxins in the environment, such as lead and organophosphate pesticides, can also be linked to the condition.
Despite the challenges, parents who have an ADHD child can find comfort in the fact that many of their symptoms are not a sign of a disability and that treatment can help mitigate their impact. Moreover, the condition can be treated successfully in adults as well.
Complications Of ADHD
ADHD can cause complications in many areas of your life, including work, relationships and health. These problems may be related to the symptoms you have or may be caused by other mental health conditions that are associated with the condition.
Genetics can also play a role, with some people having genes that increase their risk. Certain environmental toxins, such as lead exposure as a child, can increase risk as well.
Research shows that untreated ADHD can lead to a number of complications in adults. These can include: poor performance at work or school, social isolation, relationship problems and more.
