#Add symptoms in adults checklist series#

The presence of some symptoms, however, does not confirm a diagnosis of ADHD.

Lacks attention to detail, makes careless mistakes or is disorganized.

Becomes easily distracted or has difficulty listening.

Specialists have agreed that at least six symptoms from the following lists must be present for an accurate diagnosis, and symptoms must begin by age 7. To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child must show symptoms in at least two settings, such as home and school, and the symptoms must interfere with the child’s ability to function at home or school for at least six months. Symptoms are often unnoticed until a child enters school. One type is characterized by inattentiveness, one type is characterized by hyperactive or impulsive behavior, and the third type is combined-when children exhibit signs of both types. There is little scientific evidence to suggest that environmental factors, dietary factors such as food dyes or sugar, inner-ear problems or “visual motor” difficulties are the underlying cause of ADD. While heredity is often indicated, problems in prenatal development, birth complications, or later neurological damage can contribute to ADD.

#Add symptoms in adults checklist series#

A 1990 study at the National Institute of Mental Health correlated ADD with a series of metabolic abnormalities in the brain, providing further evidence that ADD is a neurobiological disorder. Scientific evidence suggests that in many cases the disorder is genetically transmitted and is caused by an imbalance or deficiency in certain chemicals that regulate the efficiency with which the brain controls behavior. The exact cause or causes of ADD are not conclusively known. Children with ADHD are thought to have problems with the part of the brain that controls the organization and direction of thought and behavior. Brain scans reveal that the brains of children with ADHD differ from those of children without the disorder. In fact, 30 to 40 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD have relatives with the same disorder. Researchers believe that biology and genes play a large role in the development of ADHD. Approximately one-third to one-half of these adolescents continue to have symptoms of ADD during their adult years.ĪDHD is nobody’s fault. During this time period, associated behavioral, learning, and emotional problems also manifest themselves. About two-thirds of the children who are diagnosed in or before elementary school with ADD continue to have behavioral symptoms in adolescence. In the few treatment studies of adults, there does not appear to be a significant sex difference.

The prevalence of ADD in adults is unknown very few have been studied. Unfortunately, relatively few adults are diagnosed or treated for ADD. Symptoms such as inattention, impulsivity and over activity are now known to continue into adulthood for a significant percentage of children with ADD. While the condition is most often associated with children, there has been a more recent understanding the Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD, ADHD) continue into adulthood for many individuals. Although boys are three to four times more likely than girls to experience ADHD, the disorder affects both boys and girls. It affects as many as one in every 20 children. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common reasons children are referred for mental health services.