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(March 23, 2004) -- It is very normal for a child to be active, but when multiple adults rate a child as being overly active in different settings and a child is so active that his or her behavior is getting in the way of school or playing, then a child may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
ADHD is caused by a problem in the brain, said Dr. Linda Grossman, head of behavioral and developmental pediatrics at the University of Maryland Hospital for Children.
ADHD causes a child or an adult to have problems with paying attention to any one thing for very long (distractible), to rush into things before thinking first (impulsive), and to be very active and/or wiggly (hyperactive). Some people have more of one symptom or more of another, but they must display these characteristics significantly more than would most people their age.
"Symptoms must occur in more than one setting, such as at school and at home or at home and at the supermarket. The symptoms also must cause significant problems for the child or be of significant concern to the adults taking care of the child," said Grossman.
A child may rate as inattentive or distractible if he or she displays at least six of the following characteristics:
A child may be considered hyperactive or impulsive if he or she displays at least six of the following characteristics:
ADHD is diagnosed after a clinician collects information about the child's behavior from his parents, his school, and anyone else who spends a lot of time with him, such as a child care provider. The health care provider also collects information about the child's health and other medical problems.
He or she examines the child, including a neurological exam. This physical examination looks for other possible explanations for the symptoms. Using all of these pieces of information, the clinician will then decide if the child has ADHD.
For roughly two-thirds of children with ADHD, either one of their parents or one of their siblings also has the condition. This suggests that ADHD may be inherited for these children. Other people get it from brain infections, head injuries, or exposure to substances that damage the brain, such as lead, alcohol prior to birth, drugs prior to birth, etc.
For some people, no cause can be identified.
"It is important to note that it's not caused by bad parenting, though these children often are very difficult to manage," Grossman said.
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