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• What is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
• Causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Symptoms
• Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Disorders that Sometimes Accompany ADHD
• Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• ADHD Articles

Causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

The precise cause of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder remains undetermined, even though it ranks among the best researched disorders in medicine. Some people still question the validity of ADHD itself.

However, current research suggests a neurobiological basis for the condition. Inheritance appears to be a factor, also.

Thus, parents should not be quick to blame themselves for the occurrence of ADHD in their children. Nevertheless, environmental factors may influence the severity of the disorder, especially the degree of impairment a child may experience. In addition, a few environmental factors have been suggested as causative agents.

Environmental Agents

Studies have shown a possible correlation between the use of cigarettes and alcohol during pregnancy and risk for Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in the offspring of that pregnancy. High levels of lead in the bodies of young preschool children can also be associated with a higher risk of ADHD.

There’s apparently little or no basis for the widespread belief that refined sugar or food additives cause or exacerbate attention disorders. Scientific studies have so far suggested at best that diet restrictions can help about 5 percent of children with ADHD, mostly young children with food allergies. However, studies have also proven that parents are likely to be more critical of children who have eaten sweets, often exaggerating their misbehavior.

An early theory that attention disorders were caused by brain injury has been largely debunked. Some children who have suffered accidents leading to brain injury may show some signs of behavior similar to that of ADHD, but only a small percentage of children with ADHD have been found to have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Genetics

Studies indicate that 25 percent of the close relatives in the families of ADHD children also have ADHD, whereas the rate is about 5 percent in the general population. Evidence of a strong genetic influence on Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has also been obtained from many studies of twins.

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