What is ADHD, and What Causes it?

Whilst all children go through phases of testing boundaries and ‘misbehaving’, there is a fine line between a difficult child and a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It can be hard to identify, but if your child finds it very hard to sit still, or to concentrate, or tends to act impulsively, he may have ADHD. Depending on the severity of the condition, it can cause problems for the child at home, at school and beyond. Note, though, that these tendencies can be indicative of other disorders, like dyspraxia (also known as ‘clumsy child syndrome’ where the child needs stimulus all the time because the messages to their brain from normal levels of stimulus are insufficient). This week we are looking at the different theories that surround the causes of ADHD.

Genetics

For the first time, in 2010, evidence was found to link ADHD with genes. Scientists, based at the Department of Psychological Medicine and Neurology in Cardiff said that the findings proved that ADHD is not down to ‘bad parenting’ or poor diet, and that they hoped that the stigma associated with the condition would disappear. This has yet to filter through to the general public, who still sometimes refer to it as ‘naughty child syndrome’ or criticise parents for ‘failing to control’ their children.

The findings were based on a study of 366 children who have the condition and just over 1,000 children without it. They compared the DNA of the two sets of children and found that the children with ADHD were more likely to have some sections of their DNA that are either missing or, in some cases, duplicated. They said that that sort of DNA problem is often seen in disorders of the brain, providing the first evidence that ADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder (that is, there is a fault in the brain ‘wiring’ that impacts on the development of the child). What brain changes occur with ADHD?

Brain Changes

Children with ADHD have abnormal levels and functioning of neurotransmitters (the chemicals in the brain responsible for sending messages around the brain, in simple terms), particularly dopamine, which is the transmitter that deals with things like sleep, attention, learning, movement and mood. One study found that adults with ADHD have ‘sluggish’ dopamine, and that this may be the reason why stimulant medication like methylphenidate can alleviate the condition.

Children with ADHD also tend to have abnormal nerve pathways that normally deal with behaviour. Some parts of their brain are also smaller or less active than in other children.

Environment

Women who smoke or drink in pregnancy may be more likely to have a child with ADHD. It’s also more common amongst children who had a low birth weight.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder is commonly mistaken for ADHD and vice versa. The two conditions are very similar in terms of the symptoms they present.

General Notes

Nobody likes their child to be labelled. It is akin to giving up on part of them the child you thought you had and resigning yourself to the fact that there are some things that your child will always need help with or may never be able to do.

Nevertheless, it is important to get a diagnosis, not least because of all the extra support that is available to a child with special needs. If the condition is mild, it may simply mean that you, and your child’s teachers, are better aware of the condition and make allowances or put in additional incidental support to make school and home life easier for your child and all others concerned.

If the condition is severe, they may require a Statement of Special Needs – which is not as horrific as it sounds; it is simply a written document that sets down the sort of things the child finds hard or needs help with, and what support is needed to give the necessary help (things like additional teaching support from a one-to-one learning support assistant).