Sometimes you envy your child’s energy. Other times you wonder if your Energizer Bunny will ever wind down. If that’s often the case, it’s possible your kid
has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Before you worry, get the truth behind 11 common ADHD myths...
If you've spent any time around schools, parks or other places children play, you've probably heard about ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “That boy is so hyper; he must have ADHD,” parents and teachers say, flinging around the label as casually as kids do with a ball.
But what is ADHD really?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), five million children age 3-17 have this chronic brain disorder, which shows up as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior, worse than the norm for kids. Undiagnosed and untreated, the condition can affect your child’s self-esteem, schoolwork and friendships.
But every wiggle worm doesn’t have ADHD. Before you start wondering whether your child has ADHD, read on for the truth behind common myths.
1. Myth or Fact? ADHD is just a problem with organization.
Myth. While children with ADHD have difficulties organizing their time and activities, it's not the cause of the disorder, says Ben Vitiello, M.D., a psychiatrist and chief of Child and Adolescent Treatment and Preventive Intervention Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
A 2010 Michigan State University study found that a neurological problem contributes to ADHD symptoms by causing an imbalance in brain chemistry.
has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Before you worry, get the truth behind 11 common ADHD myths... If you've spent any time around schools, parks or other places children play, you've probably heard about ADHD – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “That boy is so hyper; he must have ADHD,” parents and teachers say, flinging around the label as casually as kids do with a ball.
But what is ADHD really?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), five million children age 3-17 have this chronic brain disorder, which shows up as inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior, worse than the norm for kids. Undiagnosed and untreated, the condition can affect your child’s self-esteem
, schoolwork and friendships. But every wiggle worm doesn’t have ADHD. Before you start wondering whether your child has ADHD, read on for the truth behind common myths.
1. Myth or Fact? ADHD is just a problem with organization.
Myth. While children with ADHD have difficulties organizing their time and activities, it's not the cause of the disorder, says Ben Vitiello, M.D., a psychiatrist and chief of Child and Adolescent Treatment and Preventive Intervention Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
A 2010 Michigan State University study found that a neurological problem contributes to ADHD symptoms by causing an imbalance in brain chemistry.
