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The Truth About ADHD

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 5 to 10 percent of children, worldwide. This means that in a classroom of 25 to 30 children, it is likely that at least two will have ADHD.
Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 4.5 million youth ages 5-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD by a health care professional, and as of 2003, 2.5 million youth ages 4-17 were currently receiving medication treatment for the disorder. The CDC estimated a 2 times greater incidence in males.

Terry Davis, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee member, has been quoted as stating that ADHD drugs filled annually have a value of 3.1 billion dollars/year.

The FDA revealed in February 2006 that between the years 1999 and 2003, 78 million prescriptions had been written.
Currently more prescriptions are written for ADHD than for any other childhood condition. It is conservatively estimated that over 20 million prescriptions for ADHD related drugs are written annually.

Types of ADHD and its Diagnosis

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) states that ADHD is a developmental disorder that presents during childhood, in most cases before the age of seven, and is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention and/or hyperactive-impulsive behavior. It also stipulates that in order to be diagnosed, the condition must cause significant impairment in at least two settings.

The DSM-IV-TR divides ADHD into three subtypes: predominantly inattentive (sometimes referred to as ADD), predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined. People presenting with symptoms of ADHD who don’t quite fit any of the subtypes can be diagnosed with “AD/HD Not Otherwise Specified”(American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

The symptoms of ADHD fall into the following two broad categories:

1. Inattention:

  • Failing to pay close attention to details or making careless mistakes when doing schoolwork or other activities
  • Trouble keeping attention focused during play or tasks
  • Appearing not to listen when spoken to
  • Failing to follow instructions or finish tasks
  • Avoiding tasks that require a high amount of mental effort and organization, such as school projects
  • Frequently losing items required to facilitate tasks or activities, such as school supplies
  • Excessive distractibility/ Forgetfulness

2. Hyperactivity-impulsive behavior:

  • Fidgeting with hands or feet or squirming in seat
  • Leaving seat often, even when inappropriate
  • Running or climbing at inappropriate times
  • Difficulty in quiet play
  • Frequently feeling restless
  • Excessive speech
  • Answering a question before the speaker has finished
  • Failing to await one’s turn
  • Interrupting the activities of others at inappropriate times

Accordingly, a positive diagnosis is usually only made if the child has experienced six of the above symptoms for at least three months. Symptoms must appear consistently in varied environments (e.g., not only at home or only at school) and interfere with function.