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What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity (over-activity).
  ADHD has three subtypes:1
  
       Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive
            o Most symptoms (six or more) are in the hyperactivity-impulsivity categories.
            o Fewer than six symptoms of inattention are present, although inattention may still be present to some degree.
  
       Predominantly inattentive
            o The majority of symptoms (six or more) are in the inattention category and fewer than six symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present, although hyperactivity-impulsivity may still be present to some degree.
            o
  
  
            o Children with this subtype are less likely to act out or have difficulties getting along with other children. They may sit quietly, but they are not paying attention to what they are doing. Therefore, the child may be overlooked, and parents and teachers may not notice that he or she has ADHD.
  
       Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive
            o Six or more symptoms of inattention and six or more symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity are present.
            o Most children have the combined type of ADHD.
  
  Treatments can relieve many of the disorder's symptoms, but there is no cure. With treatment, most people with ADHD can be successful in school and lead productive lives. Researchers are developing more effective treatments and interventions, and using new tools such as brain imaging, to better understand ADHD and to find more effective ways to treat and prevent it.

reference: NIMH [National Institute of Mental Health]

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Treatment:

The primary ADHD medications include stimulants, nonstimulants, and antidepressants.

Stimulants are the most common treatment for ADHD in children and adolescents. They include methylphenidate -- Ritalin, Metadate, Concerta -- or amphetamines, including Dexedrine, Dextrostat, and Adderall. A newer drug, Vyvanse, is a type of amphetamine that’s formulated to last longer and to be less conducive to dependence than other stimulants.

Other FDA-approved drugs for ADHD in children and adolescents include the nonstimulants Strattera and Intuniv. Strattera works on levels of the brain chwmical norepinephrine and is quite effective at treating and controlling ADHD symptoms. Intuniv affects certain receptors in the brain and also improves concentration and impulse control. Both of these drugs pose a much lower risk of abuse or dependence than stimulants.

The antidepressant Wellbutrin has been shown to be beneficial in treating ADHD. Wellbutrin can be an alternate treatment when tolerance or abuse of a stimulant is a problem.

Antidepressants have a positive effect on all three of the major components of ADHD: inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. They are another option for children whose response to stimulant medication has been inadequate. They also are used as an alternative for children who experience unacceptable side effects, such as tics or insomnia, from stimulant medication.

reference: webMD

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