Attention Deficit Disorder - Research Paper Example

? Running head: ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 13th, June, AttentionDeficit Hyperactivity Disorder Introduction Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behaviour abnormality that mostly affects children. The disorder is characterized by inattentiveness, impulsiveness, and hyperactivity. Each of these disorders may be appear in isolation or an individual can display a combination of more than two disorders (Faraone, 2003). For instance, a child who is experiencing deficiency in attention will experience attention deficit disorder (ADD). This is common category of ADHD among school-aged children. The other symptoms can also be exhibited in isolation leading to a particular disorder. In most individuals, the symptoms start to appear at the age of seven years. Although most parents and teachers are not aware of the disorder, the disorder affects about 5% of the total children population in the globe (Bennett, 2003). Poor concentration among schoolchildren is the direct consequence of ADHD. Other factors such as environmental factors and family relationships also determine a child’s level of concentration. Due to lack of early diagnosis and treatment, most children grow with the disorder into their adolescent and adulthood. However, during adulthood, most individuals develop mechanisms to cope with the effects of the syndrome. Categorization ADHD can be considered as a continuous trait disorder that affects the population across different generations. The disorder can be considered as a development disorder that results from underdevelopment of certain body control mechanisms. The condition can also result from slow developments of certain body functions and impulse control systems. This indicates that ADHD is purely a development disorder, which is not related to mental abilities or development. Thus, ADHD does not affect the level of intelligence in individuals. There are three basic types of ADHD. The classification is based on the predominant character on an individual. The first category of ADHD is Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive. Individuals with this category of ADHD, display most symptoms. In particular, individual suffering from ADHD of this category exhibit about six different symptoms. The next common type of disorder is the Predominantly Inattentive and the Combined Hyperactive-Impulsive and Inattentive Disorder. Individuals suffering from these two categories of disorders exhibit fewer symptoms than individuals with the first category of disorder do. Most children who have the two last subtypes of ADHD are unable to associate with other children. Lack of interaction leads to slow learning process among individuals suffering from the second subtypes of ADHD. Such children also spend most of their time in isolation leading to slow detection from parents and teachers. Predominantly Inattentive Subtype The key behaviours or symptoms of individuals suffering from ADHD are inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. These symptoms are common among in young children. However, the symptoms withdraw as individuals develop into adolescent and adulthood. In the later stages of development, most individuals develop counter mechanisms that prevent the symptoms from been dominant. The main challenge of identifying children suffering with ADHD is that it is difficult to establish the normal levels of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and attentiveness among children. Most children experiencing the disorder, exhibit the following symptoms. Been easily distracted, short memory and concentration span Difficulties in maintaining a single focus or single task Become easily bored unless when doing an enjoyable task Individuals have trouble in focusing and completing a single task such as homework and assignments Poor listening and assimilation capacity Lack of accuracy and speed in the processing information Difficulties in following instructions On the other hand, children with the predominant hyperactive type exhibit the following characteristics. Talking at an exaggerated speed Been very playful and conscious about the surrounding Difficulties in concentration or doing quiet tasks Restlessness Causes Currently there are no specific factors known to cause ADHD. However, several factors or theories are used to explain the cause of ADHD. This includes environmental, diet, genetics, and asocial factors. Studies conducted on individuals suffering from the condition indicate that the disorder is hereditary. It is estimated that 75% of individual suffering from the disorder are likely to have inherited it from their parents (Southall, 2007). Studies conducted on twins indicate that the disorder can be predominant in one individual and lack predominance in another individual. Recent research conducted on individuals suffering from ADHD indicated that various types of ADHD arise from a combination of genes or hereditary factors that define the dopamine transporters. DRD4 is believed to be the main gene that causes the condition. It is estimated that approximately 9% of all new cases results or are transmitted through this gene. The environment has a critical role to play in the development on individual. The learning process is the main indicator of development among individuals. Learning is highly influenced by the environment or the condition that interact with the child at their early stages of development (Triandis, 1995). In this case, the environment refers to social and physical environmental factors that affect a child’s growth and development. According to research findings, approximately 20% of hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive cases results from environmental factors (Southall, 2007). The main environmental factors that cause the disorder are exposure to alcohol and tobacco smoke during pregnancy or early childhood stages of development. The main relationship between tobacco smoking and pregnancy results from low oxygen levels in mother’s blood system (Southall, 2007). This leads to low levels of oxygen in the blood entering the placenta. This leads to underdevelopment of the foetal brain as it tries to adapt to the low supply of oxygen. Birth complication and pre-mature births are other factors that cause ADHD. The two cases are associated with low supply of oxygen or a lapse in the levels of oxygen in the blood. Other environmental factors that cause the condition are associated with exposure to various chemical products. Certain chemical products such as organophosphate and chlorpyrifos are known to cause the disorder. Exposure to these chemical products affects the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. This condition affects the development of the brain leading to slow learning rates and development of behaviours among children. These conditions are considered symptoms of ADHD. A research conducted in 2009 on children aged between four and six years indicated that 4 out of 10 children suffering from ADHD had been exposed to at least one of the two chemical products during their early childhood development (Shaw, 1990). Findings from this research study had a positive correlation with the urinary concentration of these chemicals among the studied children. From the study, it was deduced that children who showed symptoms of having metabolized the two different pesticides, were 50% more likely to exhibit the different symptoms of ADHD than those who had lower levels of exposure (Faraone, 2005). Other than exposure to various chemical products at various stages of development, children’s behaviour is highly dependent on the physical and social environment that surrounds an individual. For instance, children who are brought up in noisy neighbourhood are more likely to develop the predominantly inattentive type of ADHD symptoms. A child develops the symptoms to counter the effects of the environment or adapt to the environment. The diet of an individual plays a significant role in determining their development. The diet of a child during the early stages of development plays a critical role in determining their future life. Research findings published in the 2007 Lancet indicated that there was a link between ADHD and the diet of the child (Hartmann, 2003). Children who consumed more artificial food products that contain high quantities food colour and preservatives were more likely to develop ADHD symptoms than children who were fed on natural diet. These studies led the Food Standard Agency to increase its surveillance on manufactured food products concerning their levels of artificial food colour and preservatives. In addition, the FSA ruled out that all food products that contain the artificial colours such as E110, E112, and E129 must include warning labels on their packaging. This is common characteristic among food products manufactured or sold within the US. Children who are fed on natural food products or food that contain minimal additives are less likely to develop ADHD symptoms. Processed foods that contain artificial food preservatives are also known to cause the ADHD symptoms. Medication Medication or certain medical treatments are also known to cause ADHD. In this case, medication refers to medical products consumed by the mother during pregnancy or medical products given to young children (Shaw, 1990). Certain stimulants such as Atomoxetine that are used to control pain have been linked with ADHD symptoms. ADHD symptoms may also result from intensive reactions against certain drugs such as Mania and Psychosis. Most drugs that have side effects are clearly labelled, however consumers ignore the side effects warning due to the curative significance of the drug. Most controlled drugs such as Ritalin have been found to have a close association with ADHD syndromes. Evolutionally Theories Thom Hartmann is among the psychology researchers who have studied the cause of ADHD extensively. According to his Hunter vs. Farmer theory, hyperactivity might have been a predominant behaviour during early human development. According to the researcher ADHD, symptoms are adaptive characteristics that have been passed across generations. The author argues that hyperactivity was a dominant behaviour among hunting communities. The main difference between the farming and hunting societies was that, the hunters were impatient people while farmers had a considerable level of patience and concentration. People who had dominant ADHD characteristics preferred more risky and competitive activities such as hunting. Management ADHD has no known cause and hence no any known cure. Various techniques are used to manage the condition. These techniques combine medication, counselling, and behaviour therapies. Scientific studies carried out in 2005 indicated that medical therapy were the most effective in the management of ADHD. Different individuals react differently to various therapies and the choice of appropriate therapy depends on the different reactions. Medication is the most widely used method of managing ADHD symptoms. A comparison between the different types of therapies and treatment indicates that medical treatment has more than 80% effectiveness. Conclusion ADHD is a behaviour disorder that usually affects children. Individuals with the disorder exhibit various symptoms such as lack of attentiveness, speedy responses and poor listening and concentration. These symptoms are not easily identified due to lack of clear measure of normal conditions and bodily reactions. ADHD has no any known cause and psychologists rely on different theories to explain its occurrence on different individuals. The main factors associated with the condition are environmental, diet, social and medical. According to research findings, the disorder results from low oxygen concentration in the blood at the foetal stage. Other explanations are based on genetic factors and evolutionary theories. Due to lacks of absolute case, ADHD has no known cure. References Bennett, S. (2003). Straight Talk about Your Child's Mental Health: What to Do When Something Seems Wrong. New York: Guilford Press. Faraone, S. (2005). "The scientific foundation for understanding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as a valid psychiatric disorder". Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 14 (1): 1–10. Hartmann, T. (2003). The Edison gene: ADHD and the gift of the hunter child. Rochester, Vt: Park Street Press. Shaw, J. (1990). A cognitive categorization model for the study of intercultural management. Academy of Management Review, 15(4), 626-645. Southall, A. (2007). The Other Side of ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Exposed and Explained. New York: Radcliffe Publishing Ltd. Triandis, H. (1995). Individualism and Collectivism. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Read More