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• Part 1 of 2: Understanding the basics
• Part 2 of 2: Understand the challenges of ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common medical condition. In mid-2011, about 11% of school-age children in the United States were diagnosed with ADHD, which equates to 6.4 million children. About two thirds of this were boys. Throughout history, important people have had ADHD such as Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Walt Disney, Eisenhower, Benjamin Franklin. ADHD has specific characteristics, types, and causes that can help you better understand this condition.

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Part 1 of 2: Understanding the basics

1. Record possible ADHD behavior. Children are often hyperactive and erratic, which can make recognizing ADHD difficult. Adults can also deal with ADHD and show the same symptoms. If you think your child or loved one is acting differently or out of control than usual, then he may have ADHD. There are clues to look out for in case you think your child or loved one has ADHD.
   • Notice if the person daydreams frequently, loses things often, forgets things, cannot sit still, is overly talkative, takes unnecessary risks, makes careless decisions and mistakes, struggles to resist temptation or not at all, has difficulty being or waiting her turn at a game or having trouble working with other people.
   • If your child or loved one has some of these problems, he or she may need to be checked for ADHD.
2. Ask for a professional diagnosis of ADHD. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) publishes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), currently in its fifth edition, which is used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders such as ADHD. It states that there are three manifestations of ADHD and that different symptoms must have occurred by the age of 12, within multiple situations and at least six months in a row, to be eligible for a diagnosis. Diagnosis should be made by a trained professional.
   • The symptoms should be inappropriate for a person's level of development and disruptive to normal functioning at work or within social or school situations. For hyperactive-impulsive manifestations, some of the symptoms must be considered disturbing. Nor should symptoms be better explained by attributing them to another mental or psychotic disorder.
   • The DSM-5 criteria require that children 16 and younger must exhibit at least six symptoms within a category before being diagnosed with this diagnosis, and those 17 and older have five symptoms.
3. Recognize the symptoms of the predominantly inattentive ADHD type (ADHD-I or Predominantly Inattentive Type). There are three manifestations of ADHD. One is predominantly inattentive ADHD, which has a distinct set of symptoms. People with this form of ADHD have at least five to six of the symptoms, which manifest when the person:
   • Makes careless mistakes and has no eye for details at work, at school, or in other activities.
   • Has difficulty paying attention during tasks or during play.
   • Does not seem to be paying attention when someone is talking directly to him or her.
   • Does not complete homework, chores, or tasks and strays easily.
   • Is disorderly.
   • Avoid tasks that require sustained focus, such as school work.
   • Often loses your own keys, glasses, articles, tools or other belongings.
   • Is easily distracted.
   • Is forgetful.
4. Notice the hyperactive-impulsive symptoms of ADHD. The symptoms of this manifestation must be significant enough to be disruptive to be considered as possible ADHD symptoms. The behaviors to watch out for are:
   • Lots of fidgeting or movement, such as constantly tapping the hands or feet.
   • The child runs or climbs inappropriately.
   • The adult is constantly restless.
   • Have trouble playing or doing activities quietly.
   • Continuously go on without pauses.
   • Talking excessively.
   • Blurt everything out before any questions are asked.
   • Finding it difficult to wait their turn.
   • Interrupting others or interfering with other people's conversations or games.
   • Being very impatient.
   • Making inappropriate comments, showing emotions without restraint, or acting without thinking about the consequences.
5. Watch for combined symptoms of ADHD. For combined manifestations of ADHD, the individual will need to exhibit at least six symptoms of both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD. This is the most common type of ADHD diagnosed in children.
6. Understand the causes of ADHD. The exact causes of ADHD are still not known, but it is generally believed that genetics play a major role due to certain DNA abnormalities that are more common in people with ADHD. In addition, studies show that there is a correlation between children with ADHD and prenatal exposure to alcohol and smoking, as well as lead exposure in early childhood.
   • The specific causes of ADHD still need to be researched, but the causes of these types of conditions that differ from case to case can be difficult to decipher.

Part 2 of 2: Understand the challenges of ADHD

1. Learn about the basal ganglia. Scientific analyzes show that the brains of people with ADHD deviate slightly from the norm, because two regions are often somewhat smaller. The first, the basal ganglia, controls the movement of muscles and signals that must work and remain at rest during certain activities.
   • This can be manifested by moving parts of the body that should be resting, or by tapping incessantly with the hand, foot, or pencil, with no movement required.
2. Learn the role of the prefrontal cortex. The second brain structure that is smaller than normal in a person with ADHD is the prefrontal cortex. This is the control center in the brain for performing higher order executive tasks, such as memory, learning, and attention regulation, and where these tasks converge to help us function intellectually.
   • The prefrontal cortex influences levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is directly linked to the ability to concentrate and often shows somewhat lower levels in individuals with ADHD. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter found in the prefrontal cortex, affects mood, sleep and appetite.
   • A prefrontal cortex that is smaller than normal, with a less optimal amount of dopamine and serotonin, means that it is more difficult to focus and effectively filter out any foreign stimuli flooding the brain at the same time. People with ADHD have trouble focusing on one thing at a time; the abundance of stimuli causes a high degree of distraction as well as reduced impulse control.
3. Understand the consequences of untreated ADHD. If people with ADHD do not receive special treatment that will enable them to receive quality education, they are at greater risk of unemployment, homelessness, or crime. The government estimates that about 10% of adults with learning disabilities are unemployed, and it is likely that the percentage of people with ADHD who cannot find a job is equally high, as they often struggle with their ability to concentrate, organize and manage their time. as well as with social skills, all of which are considered essential traits by employers.
   • While it is difficult to measure the percentages of today's homeless unemployed individuals with ADHD, one study has estimated that the number of men serving long prison terms and possibly having ADHD is around 40%. In addition, individuals with ADHD have a greater tendency to engage in substance abuse and often find it more difficult to overcome addiction.
   • It is estimated that nearly half of individuals with ADHD use alcohol and drugs to deal with problems.
4. Provides support. It is important for parents, educators, and therapists to find ways to guide children and adults with ADHD in overcoming their limitations so that they can lead safe, healthy, and fulfilling lives. The more support an individual receives, the safer they will feel. As soon as you suspect they may have ADHD, have your child examined so that appropriate treatment can be started.
   • Children can outgrow some of the hyperactive symptoms, but the predominantly inattentive symptoms of ADHD-I generally last a lifetime. The problems of ADHD-I can cause other problems with age, which may be treated separately.
5. Notice other conditions. In most cases, ADHD is challenging enough on its own. However, one in five people with ADHD has another serious condition. This may include depression or bipolar disorder, which are often associated with ADHD. A third of children with ADHD also have a behavioral disorder, such as difficulty in self-control and compliance (conduct and oppositional defiance disorder).
   • ADHD is often also associated with learning difficulties and anxiety.
   • Depression and anxiety often manifest during high school, when the pressures from home, school, and those from peers intensify. This, too, can make the symptoms of ADHD worse.