Is your child in constant motion? Does he or she talk incessantly? Or have trouble focusing and prefer to daydream?
Then your child may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.
This disorder often begins between the ages of 3 and 6 years, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). And it’s not just a childhood disease: ADHD may continue through the teenage years and into adulthood (see sidebar). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 11% of children 4-17 years of age (6.4 million) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011.
Three types of ADHD are recognized:
- inattentive (trouble focusing, following instructions, and finishing tasks)
- hyperactive-impulsive (constantly on the go, talking excessively, and interrupting others)
- combined (symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity)
Diagnosing the Disorder
Studies show that the number of children being diagnosed with ADHD continues to increase, from 7.8% in 2003 to 11.0% in 2011, according to the CDC. Tiffany R. Farchione, M.D., a child psychiatrist at FDA, reviews drugs to treat ADHD. She explains that the increase may be due to a greater public awareness of the disorder and psychiatric illnesses in general.
Boys (13.2%) were more likely than girls (5.6%) to have ever been diagnosed with the disorder. In addition, boys are more likely to have the hyperactive-impulsive type, which is easier to spot than the quieter child who is inattentive, says Farchione.
If you suspect your child might have ADHD, see your family doctor or pediatrician, suggests Farchione. Your child’s vision, hearing, and anything else that may contribute to inattention should also be checked. The doctor may diagnose ADHD or refer your child to a mental health specialist for evaluation.
Treatments
FDA has approved two types of medications—stimulants and non-stimulants—to help reduce the symptoms of ADHD and improve functioning in children as young as 6 years.
It may seem counterintuitive, Farchione says, but despite their name, stimulants, which contain various forms of methylphenidate and amphetamine, actually have a calming effect on hyperactive children with ADHD. They are believed to increase brain levels of dopamine—a neurotransmitter associated with motivation, attention, and movement.
FDA has also approved three non-stimulants to treat the symptoms of ADHD: Strattera (atomoxetine), Intuniv (guanfacine), and Kapvay (clonidine). These provide a useful alternative for children who do not tolerate stimulants well. Talk with your health care professional about what medications may be best for your child.
In addition to medication, some children with ADHD receive behavioral therapy to help manage symptoms and provide added coping skills. Moreover, concerned parents can reach out to their children’s schools and community support groups for information and guidance on how to cope with ADHD behavior. “It’s helpful to engage with the different individuals who are involved in a child’s life when managing the disorder,” Farchione says.
Testing the Effects of Medication in Younger Children
FDA-approved medications currently on the market have been tested for safety and effectiveness in clinical trials of children ages 6 and above. But once a drug has been approved and is on the market, FDA is now asking for clinical trials with participants of children as young as 4 and 5, Farchione says.
“This is a fairly new policy,” she adds. “We know ADHD medications are being prescribed for younger children, and we think it’s essential that the data from clinical studies reflect the safety and effectiveness for this age group.”
Consequences of Not Treating
Left untreated, ADHD can have serious consequences.
A child may fall behind in school, encounter difficulties in friendships, and have conflicts with parents, says the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Studies show that children with untreated ADHD have more emergency room visits and are more likely to have self-inflicted injuries than those treated for the disorder. Untreated adolescents with ADHD are more likely to take risks, such as drinking and driving. And they have twice as many motor vehicle accidents as those who are treated.
ADHD: Not Just for Kids
Studies suggest that approximately 4% of adults may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The symptoms of ADHD in adults are the same as those in children, but they manifest somewhat differently. Adults with ADHD may have poor time management skills and trouble with multi-tasking, become restless with downtime, and avoid activities that require sustained concentration.
A diagnosis of ADHD in an adult is given only when it’s known that some of the symptoms were present early in childhood, usually under the age of seven.
“For some adults, a diagnosis of ADHD can bring a sense of relief,” says psychiatrist Tiffany Farchione. Receiving a diagnosis allows adults to understand the reasons for their problems, and treatment can help them to deal with challenges more effectively.
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Why do they always blame increase of Autism ADD on awareness?
1. Are we becoming more aware every year ?
2. Where are the numbers higher amongst the younger people, is the awareness only amongst them?
3. How long will we buy that “bubube mayseh”?
As someone living with a child with ADHD, please don’t minimize what this entails. The stigma associated with the behaviors of these children is absolutely nauseating. Just because they “look” normal doesn’t mean that they don’t need help and parents are responsible to educate themselves. It is very easy to point fingers at the idea of “over-medicating” or “over-diagnosing” when you aren’t the one living it.
There are many adults, too, with undiagnosed ADHD. This can cause problems with life tasks such as work and homemaking. If you have difficulty with time management, organization, following through on tasks, meeting deadlines, etc., (especially if you can recall having some of the characteristics as a child or if you have a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD! ) there is a high chance that ADHD is the reason. The good news is that certain behavioral treatments work very well with adults. (Meds may be necessary in severe cases.)
anonymrs says:
August 7, 2015 at 12:51 am
As someone living with a child with ADHD, please don’t minimize what this entails.
MK: I am not minimizing !!
. It is very easy to point fingers at the idea of “over-medicating” or “over-diagnosing” when you aren’t the one living it
MK: the article was blaming awareness, I say it is skyrocketing & mainstream Doctors, blaming awareness are shifting the blame away from the culprit
Toxins in food air & above all vaccines
The FDA executive board is comprise of 15 people. None are frum to my knowledge. Eight are lawyers some of whom are from William & Mary College not too far down the road from Wash, D.C. who have no real background in medicine or medical research–the head of this board is a woman with an MD degree–her background in medicine is POLICY making. Such a group’s make-up could and should leave any advise from them ” be taken with a grain of salt”
A goy, Gerry Mullen
PS: suggest all Jews do more Talmud Torah !!!
Maybe some kids need more physical activity and playtime in our over pressured school environment. No one ever became a gadol by being drugged up and chained to a chair. They became great in torah because they ENJOYED learning.
Very interesting and informative, thank you
MK, please don’t place blame on vaccines. I have several children, all who share genetics and environment and who have all been up to date on their vaccines and only one of them is ADHD. Vaccines save the lives of many children and adults each year and I am proud to be a parent who chooses to protect my family from preventable diseases.
In the know1, please don’t judge me for giving my child medication to help him with his very medically based health issue. This is exactly the stigma I am referring to…my child is in no way “chained to a chair and drugged up”. He has a chemical imbalance in his frontal lobe and the medication helps regulate that so he may be able to concentrate on tasks he -wants- to complete but can’t on his own. No different than giving antibiotics for an infection.
TO #8 . 6 kids cross the street without looking, 1 gets injured .So you conclude crossing the street was not a factor
Do your home work compare vaccinated VS non in your kids school, for ADD Asthma Allergies
Vaccines the greatest scam & fraud ever
Hey, Moishe Kahan if you are a doctor who went through 8 years of intense college and medical school and another 5+ years of residency and internship training, then feel free to tell me that vaccines are a scam. It is a logical fallacy to compare my vaccinating my children to crossing the street without looking….crossing the street without looking is a proven dangerous act while vaccinating is proven to prevent dangerous diseases…you argument is a complete “scam” as far as empirical scientific proof is concerned. Do YOUR homework…
1.In 13 years how many minutes did your pediatrician spend studying toxicology?
2.I challenge him to a public abate
3.Where is your proof that any vaccine has saved lives?
4.I have done my homework surveying parents & Mds who care for vaxed & unvaxed kids. Why is Mississippi the highest vaxed stae the highest in in infant mortality. USA the the most vaxed counrty accoring to cia factbook & UN/WHO the higest infant death rate of any developed country,
5. Why trust someone who makes $$$ from vaccines
People are allowed to make money off of medicine and vaccines. They cost money to create and manufacture just like any other material item. People also make loads of money off of vitamins and “all natural”, “vegan”, and “gluten-free” products. People make money off of food in general. That does not make it something to distrust. It’s called basic economics.
The proof that vaccines save lives is obvious…infant mortality rates are waaaaay better since before vaccines were introduced because the diseases they protect us from CHILDREN AND ADULTS WERE DYING FROM THEM before vaccines were around to protect us.
My pediatrician, GP, and any other medical professional wouldn’t give you the time of day. They are smarter than me.
And btw, WHERE ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROOF THAT VACCINES ARE HARMFUL?
Why trust someone on the internet who has merely “surveyed parents” What does that even mean, in the empirical scientific sense? Oh, yeah, it means absolutely nothing. Go back inside your bubble and enjoy the fact that your family is protected because most other families have assured them herd immunity by vaccinating.
Anon: People are allowed to make money off of medicine and vaccines. They cost money to create and manufacture just like any other material item. People also make loads of money off of vitamins and “all natural”, “vegan”, and “gluten-free” products. People make money off of food in general. That does not make it something to distrust. It’s called basic economics.
MK:On matters of life & death would you trust somone who has a vested interest. Or an independent ?
Anon: The proof that vaccines save lives is obvious…infant mortality rates are way better since before vaccines were introduced because the diseases they protect us from CHILDREN AND ADULTS WERE DYING FROM THEM before vaccines were around to protect us.
MK: How many wrere dying from chicken pox? mumps? or cervical cancer.
Anon: My pediatrician, GP, and any other medical professional wouldn’t give you the time of day. They are smarter than me.
MK: you bet these cowards know i will wipe the floor with them!
And btw, WHERE ARE YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND PROOF THAT VACCINES ARE HARMFUL?
Mississippi the most vaxed state the highest infant death rate. Harvard Med school has proven Mumps protects from cancer especially ovarian that kills 1 % of our women .
Why trust someone on the internet who has merely “surveyed parents” What does that even mean, in the empirical scientific sense? Oh, yeah, it means absolutely nothing. Go back inside your bubble and enjoy the fact that your family is protected because most other families have assured them herd immunity by vaccinating.
Americas most prestigious whistle blower law-firm Morgan Verkamp , has issued a press release. They represent the CDC doctor who was recorded admitting they cook they cook the books & destroy evidence like the IRS patriot scandal
Anyone with half a brain can collect relevant data from any co-cooperating MD
Dr. Yehuda Shoenfeld, the world’s expert on Autoimmune disease. has linked vaccine to ALL types of Autoimmune problems
Sow me the unvaxed Add Autism & Asthma rates or trust the quacks
& sacrifice your kids to the idol
I know of 3 ADD/ADHD adults who were not vaccinated as children and that is just off the top of my head.
No relationship whatsoever.
ADD/ADHD is NOT an autoimmune disease.
Vaccinating your child is not idolatry.
Any more ignorance you would like to spew?
Anon:I know of 3 ADD/ADHD adults who were not vaccinated as children and that is just off the top of my head.
MK; you have no proof of anything u say! why should anyone take your word?
Anon: ADD/ADHD is NOT an autoimmune disease.
MK: Who said it is ? Aluminum in most vaccines are neurotoxins even by FDA standerds, & they mess up the immune system
Anon:Vaccinating your child is not idolatry.
MK: All idol worshipers say the are serving a true G-D. Including worshipers of molech
Anon:Any more ignorance you would like to spew?
MK: Look who is talking about ignorance!!!