ADHD: Did You Know?

Last Monday and Tuesday I attended a great conference on ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) at the University of Alabama. Since this condition is so relevant to children and learning, I thought I'd post a few facts. If you have questions or would like to know more, please contact me anytime!

• Between 5-12% of children have ADHD. 
• ADHD is a neurological disorder. This means it has to do with the way the brain functions. It is not caused by social or environmental factors, although those can influence the outcomes of people with ADHD.
  
• ADHD runs in families. Among children with ADHD, 21% have a sibling and 30% have a parent with the condition.
• The ratio of boys to girls with ADHD may be as low as 1.6 to 1. 
• Michael Phelps (the Olympic swimmer) had severe ADHD as a child! By 3rd grade he was drifting toward a negative peer group and looked like he would not finish school.
• People with ADHD have a variable attention span, not no attention span. Things they are interested in or those that provide rapid stimulation (like videogames) might hold their attention for a long time, even though they cannot focus for more than a few minutes on other things.
• Regular exercise seems to help children with ADHD.
• ADHD is one of most treatable psychiatric disorders! 75-95% of people with this condition respond positively to medication.
  
• Scientific studies show that medication alone or medication + behavioral treatments are significantly more effective than behavioral treatments alone.
• Doctors give two main reasons to consider medication for children with ADHD:
• The scientifically-proven effectiveness of medication on reducing core symptoms and improving functioning at home and school, as well as protecting self-esteem.
• The outcomes of untreated or undertreated ADHD (higher incidences of accidental injuries, poor school performance, poor peer relationships, parent-child stress and conflict, grade retention, dropping out of high school, sleep problems, substance abuse, etc.).
• Researchers emphasize that early intervention is key to improving outcomes. The average age of referral is 8-11, but by that time children with ADHD have already missed out on a few years of academic and social groundwork.