ADD

Approximately 345 percent of American children under the age of 13 suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), the most frequently diagnosed juvenile mental disorder. It seems that children with ADHD lack consistent direction and control more than they do attention deficit disorder. Two signs that are frequently associated with ADHD, Symptoms of mental and physical disorders can mimic those of ADHD. Among them are:

Unusual depression

anxiety disorder mild delay in speech or hearing

reaction to trauma

Between one-third and fifty percent of kids with ADHD suffer from severe anxiety or depression. Additionally, they could struggle with reading, writing, language development, visual and auditory discrimination, or learning difficulties.

Path of Illness

Adolescent ADHD differs from childhood ADHD in that it is characterized by incomplete assignments and inability to finish autonomous academic work. Adolescents with ADHD are more prone to exhibit risky behaviors and be restless than hyperactive. They have a higher chance of failing in school, having strained social interactions, getting into car accidents, being delinquent, abusing drugs, and having a bad career outcome.

An Objective Assessment for ADHD

Studies are being conducted to help detect youngsters with ADHD more readily. Harvard University’s Dr. Martin Teicher has created an infrared motion analysis system that records the movements of boys with ADHD and healthy controls while they do repetitive attention tasks in front of a computer. Four markers were placed on the boys’ elbow, shoulder, back, and head, and the device tracked their positions at a high resolution, 50 times per second.

Distinctions in the Children’s Brains Affected by ADHD

The majority of specialists concur that ADHD is a brain illness with a medical cause. Studies comparing identical and fraternal twins, as well as the high prevalence of ADHD, alcoholism, and antisocial conduct in the families of children with the illness, point to a hereditary component.

ADHD and Smoking During Pregnancy

According to research conducted by Harvard University researchers Drs. Sharon Milberger and Joseph Biederman, maternal smoking during pregnancy may increase the risk of ADHD. It is unclear how maternal smoking and ADHD are positively correlated, however this is consistent with the “nicotinic receptor hypothesis of ADHD.” According to this notion, the dopaminergic system is impacted by nicotine exposure on a variety of nicotinic receptors. One theory is that ADHD is caused by an imbalance of dopamine. Basic science has demonstrated that exposure to nicotine causes an animal model of hyperactivity in rats, which lends some credence to this theory. In order to definitively determine if smoking and ADHD are related, more research is required.

ADHD treatment

Stimulants have somewhat contradictory effects on ADHD patients because they calm down kids instead of making them more active, improving focus and decreasing restlessness. Since stimulants are safer and more successful than antidepressants, especially tricyclics, or clonidine (Catapres), they have long been the cornerstone of pharmaceutical treatment for ADHD.

Time management and organizational abilities can be enhanced through vocational assessment and coaching. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is necessary to teach stress management techniques, and family counseling is necessary to enhance interpersonal communication and problem-solving abilities.

Youngsters suffering with ADHD…

are prone to distraction and frequently appear to be daydreaming

usually abandon projects they begin and frequently commit what seem to be thoughtless errors

They hastily jump from one task to another and find it difficult to follow rules, obey instructions, and arrive on time.

Seem agitated and hurried, unable to bear patience or tardiness

Don’t wait for them to turn, and act before you think.

They talk too much, too loud, too quickly, and they interrupt frequently. They also just say anything comes to mind. appear to be bothering other kids, instructors, and parents nonstop

cannot control their impulses and can come across as careless, awkward, and prone to accidents

Look restless; they wriggle, tap their feet, and wiggle their legs when forced to stay motionless.

Manic Depressive Disorder

Bipolar disorder is another condition that is challenging to detect in youngsters. The presence of bipolar disorder in preadolescent children was once thought to be unusual or exceptional; nevertheless, throughout the years, it is becoming more widely acknowledged. Six percent of people have childhood and adolescent mania, according to epidemiological research. Between the ages of 15 and 20, illness onset is at its highest, and 50% of those affected had abused alcohol or drugs. Rather than the other way around, early-onset bipolar disorder is a very high-risk factor for eventual drug misuse.

Identifying Bipolar Illness

Children who suffer from mania may not always exhibit the same symptoms as adults; instead, they are typically agitated and prone to violent outbursts of wrath. Moreover, as opposed to adult symptoms, which are acute and episodic, theirs are frequently persistent and ongoing. Furthermore, because irritability and aggression can also be signs of conduct disorder or depression, diagnosing them might be more difficult.

Handling Bipolar Disorder in Children

For the most part, adult therapy guidelines are applicable when treating manic episodes in children and adolescents. The first line of treatment is usually a mood stabilizer like carbamazepine (Tegretol), valproate (Depakene), or lithium. Adjusting the dosage of lithium is one of the minor variations in treating children, as the therapeutic blood levels in children are comparatively higher than in adults, most likely because of the younger kidney’s stronger ability to eliminate lithium. Prior to beginning valproic acid treatment, baseline liver function tests are also required because the drug can cause hepatotoxicity, or toxic liver damage, in children under the age of ten (kids under the age of three are most at risk).

ADHD and Bipolar Disorder Together

Roughly 1 in 4 kids with ADHD currently suffer from or plan to become bipolar illness. Childhood-onset bipolar disorder and bipolar disorder with ADHD both start early in life and are primarily found in families where there is a significant hereditary susceptibility to both conditions. Both sexes are equally likely to suffer from adult bipolar disorder; however, most children with bipolar disorder and ADHD are boys, as are most of their bipolar relatives.

Bipolar disorder and ADHD in children are similar in:

Both ailments…

start at a young age and are far more prevalent in boys

mostly affect families who have a high hereditary susceptibility to both illnesses

Exhibit converging symptoms, such as irritability, hyperactivity, and inattention

Genetically Connected

Bipolar disorder and ADHD symptoms seem to be genetically related. ADHD is more common in bipolar patient children than in other children. Bipolar disorder is twice as common among relatives of children with ADHD, and children who have a high-risk family history of bipolar disorder—particularly the childhood-onset variety—are also more likely to acquire bipolar disorder themselves. Adult bipolar illness patients also have an exceptionally high prevalence of ADHD.

Studies have discovered several indicators that can be used to determine which ADHD kids are more likely to go on to acquire bipolar disorder in the future. These indicators include:

more severe ADHD than other kids

other behavioral issues

relatives suffering from mood problems such as bipolar disorder

ADHD-Based Bipolar Disorder Treatment

The most significant issues, which are typically those with unstable moods, should be addressed first. When a youngster experiences severe mood swings, there isn’t much that can be done to address ADHD. Lithium, valproate (Depakene), and carbamazepine are effective mood stabilizers; occasionally, many medications are required in combination. Following the onset of action from mood stabilizers, the kid may also get concurrent treatment for ADHD with stimulants, clonidine, or antidepressants.