What is Attention Deficit Disorder? What are the causes? How is it Treated?

Attention Deficit Disorder

ADD is a neurological impairment that affects many children around the world. Once the symptoms of ADD, a common learning disorder, have been diagnosed, then an individualized process of on-going treatment can begin.

Attention Deficit Disorder is definitely genetic. It has been proven without a doubt that this disorder runs in the families. It is very likely that if at least one parent has it, the child will have it. If both parents have been diagnosed with ADD, there is a ninety-nine percent chance the child will have it, too ("ADD with or without learning disabilities" n. pag.). Early theories suggested that ADD might be caused by serious head injuries, major illnesses such as meningitis, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, too much sugar or caffeine, or various allergies. Now it has been proven that thing such as these play no role in having this disorder at all.

ADD stems from a neurochemical deficiency. It is basically a situation where a child is born with a shortage of neurotransmitters. Though ADD typically runs in a family, often on the male side, in a small percentage of cases it is due to severe damage to the brain, trauma a birth, substance abuse during pregnancy, severe head injury, or encephalitis in childhood (Moss 30-34). There is no proof that the statement "Attention Deficit is outgrown" is true. It is also sometimes confused with other things. ADD should not be confused with a learning disability, a tic disorder, disruptive behavior disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (Moss 44-50). About five percent of the entire population and approximately fifteen million people in the United States have the disorder (Moss 11-13). ADD is a syndrome, which is characterized by persistent difficulties in attention span, impulse control, and sometimes hyperactivity.

There are two different types of ADD,