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Loading...Identifying the Causes of ADHD
There is little more polarizing in any discussion of education than Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. While there’s been intense research into the condition, there’s still so much we don’t know. Some people swear by dietary changes to treat the condition, others by medication, behavioral therapy, or increased physical activity in schools…and then there are those who claim that the only “cure” a child needs is good, old-fashioned discipline. (Having worked in a few special ed classrooms over the years, my only response to that final suggestion is, “Good luck with that.”)
Before any discussion on how best to treat ADHD, it would be nice to have some idea of the underlying causes. And new research recently published by the Mayo Clinic may have identified just that.
The study looked at 5,000 children born between January 1976 and December 1982. After accounting for other possible health conditions, and factors such as age, sex, and birth weight, the Mayo Clinic found that children who’d undergone procedures requiring general anesthesia before age two were at a greater risk of developing ADHD.
Now, this can’t be the only cause of the condition: 7.3% of the children who’d never experienced anesthesia still received an ADHD diagnosis. Children who’d had just one procedure had a slightly higher rate of diagnosis at 10.7%. Where the difference becomes really dramatic is in children with two or more exposures to anesthesia – their risk of developing ADHD nearly doubled to 17.9%.
Researchers are quick to point out that it’s unclear if the anesthesia itself caused the increased risk, or if being operated on is a factor instead. You can read the full study on here.
Related Stories:
Just How Important is Diet in Treating ADHD?
Read more: adhd, adhd causes, adhd research, education, learning disabilities, special education
Photo by: Vince Alongi
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Recent Comments from Causes
how sad
Of course, he'll try it again!!! He wants out!
Thanks for the article. They have done no harm..
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+ add your ownI was diagnosed with ADHD after a 4 hour neuro-psysicological test at the age of 51. You have no comprehension of how people like you have negatively impacted those of us that have gone through extensive testing to find out WHY we are so different than other people. Fortunately, I have not been labeled as retarded. Due to the over diagnosis of ADD / ADHD, I have been labeled as using it as an excuse.
I agree with Gary L., if you see someone (no matter what age) that doesn’t act in a way that YOU perceive as normal, then you definitely have more issues than the child you described. Maybe you should have a neuro-psychological test. Anyway, what IS considered “normal”?
Gary L., nor anybody else, can give specific symptoms of ADD / ADHD as it is different from person to person. The key to an ADD / ADHD diagnosis is long term symptoms.
I do believe ADD / ADHD is over diagnosed. The TRUE diagnosis of ADD / ADHD comes from a neuro-psychological test. Those specialists are trained in diagnosing ADD / ADHD.
You have no idea how my diagnosis changed my life. Instead of constantly trying to “confirm” to what people considered “normal”, I started embracing my “differences”. My ENTIRE life made sense. I was constantly criticized and rejected for the way I did and reacted to things. The normal way of doing things didn’t work for me. That caused extreme frustration for me.
Everybody is different.
Some pe
I believe most of these kids are just intelligent, nervous kids who need mental stimulation, an outlet & something to do and to relax without being judged & labeled. I don't like pills.
We live in a highly polluted world. Children are bombarded with toxic elements in food, air and water. Why are we so surprised when children show so many signs of it?
From Gary L.
"Rene, you have a lot to learn. The one single incident of behavior you
describe, while consistent with ADHD behavior is also consistent with a
number of other possibilities. However, I would like to suggest that if
you see children as "retarded" because they did not behave in a way of
which you approve that perhaps you have a much bigger problem than the
child you described.
Gary"
Gary,
I see a child has retarded when he is unable to perform the same simple
tasks as his peers.
You claim to be an expert in ADHD but did not do anything to help
define what that is. All I have seen on the web are vague lists
of behavioral problems.
(e.g. http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm)
I see ADHD claims as evaluations and not diagnostics since they
are based on subjective criteria evaluated by non-professionals.
I would have been interested in your "expert" opinion on what
you consider to be ADHD and none of the "other possibilities".
Rene
diet, physical exercise and medication in my experience has not been the answer 13 years on and we still dont know what will help her adhd if anything.
intersting theory about the general ansteasthia before age 2 my daughter underwent an operation at 3 wonder if this could have any bearing on why she is the way she is?
I don't think its overdiagnosed.
Healthy children tend to be hyperactive at times, which to impatient adults who are not very mentally mature themselves can look like ADHD. Forcing these kids to put poison into their bodies to suppress their energy is anything but a solution. Unfortunately we now live with a medical system that is based on profit not helping so reversing the process of turning America into one large pill popping harvest is going to be difficult. Of course anything that makes an adult feel hyper like stimulant foods and drinks or even a toxic environment is going to be even more exaggerated during energy spurts in children.
Then there is Munchhausen's by proxy, a whole other issue with parents who have an emotional need to have a sickly child. I'm pretty sure some of the ADHD kids are theirs. The kids who really do need help are never going to get their problems solved beyond becoming legalized junkies if we cant get out from under the profit for keeping them sick.
Course socialized medicine would help remove the profit influence. Too bad so many people are afraid of it.
Look at what they are eating. Get them away from junk foods etc, preservatives, sodas, kiddie cereals etc. Sorry, you have to cook real food. My son is an adult now, but Im sure if a bunch of parents got together and harrased the schools about what chemicals were in the school lunches, they might make some changes. I found that eliminating preservatives from my son's diet really helped. Also, there is something in Soy that helped to calm him. Years later I found a suppliment in the health food store: http://www.good-earth.com/nature-s-plus-pedi-active-a-d-d---120-tablets.html or check these guys out: http://www.adders.org/natrem_pediactive.htm . I had problems with the school letting him trade lunches with other kids. But the first few weeks of the elimination diet, his behavior was perfect. I had also taken him off the Ritalin. School lunches are loaded with preservatives. It was after he started trading lunches that his bad behaviors returned. I found the suppliments years later and they helped a lot, but then we got busted for him having pills that were not prescribed by a Dr. The office refused to monitor OTC medications. I fought the schools and never put him back on the Ritalin. I found that pediactive also comes in a snack bar. All I can say is at least give the diet a try. It might not work for everybody but it helped my son.
diet and exercise does wonders However short attention span is an issue then many parents don't have the focus to deal withn it neither turn off the computer TV cell phone and video games and go interact noutside
hopefully answeres will be found and NOT in the form of drugs
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was a child and I can attest that the method of giving kids with ADHD extracurricular activites that challenge them works. I was having trouble in school and was a D student for the most part when one day my mother spoke to another parent from my school who said that her daughter was also diagnosed with ADHD but that she kept her busy with music lessons, sports, girl scouts, etc and that she was getting straight A's and was able to concentrate better. My mother took me off the medication I was on (which in my case wasn't working all that well) and got me enrolled into different activities and once we found ones that I liked my grades started to improve and I was able to concentrate a lot better.
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