Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Neurologically Based

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurologically based disorder.

This position has become controversial as many would like to dismiss the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder altogether saying that there is no evidence of neurological differences, or that there are no medical tests to diagnose ADD ADHD, or that the diagnostic criteria is too broad. But the fact of the matter is that there are measurable neurological differences, and there are several good tests available to physicians and psychologists, available to diagnose the disorder.

For now we will simply report that there is a tremendous amount of research to support the statement that, indeed, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurologically based condition. Much of this information is available at the ADHD Information Library for parents to read over.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, often called ADD or ADHD, is a diagnostic label that we give to children and adults who have significant problems in four main areas of their lives:

Inattention -- people with ADHD are often easily distracted, and have trouble focusing on a task that is only moderately interesting.
Impulsivity -- about 50% of those with ADHD are impulsive, they do or say things without thinking about the consequences first.
Hyperactivity -- about 50% of those with ADHD are hyperactive. This means that they have excessive motor activity that is not directed toward any goal.
Boredom -- people with ADHD are easily bored with mundane activities, like cleaning rooms or doing homework. Tasks must be exciting to capture attention.

Talk to your pediatrician or family practice physician if you think that your child has some of these problems. You can learn more about Attention Deficit Disorder at the ADD ADHD Information Library of NewIdeas.net.

Douglas Cowan, Psy.D., is a family therapist who has been working with ADHD children and their families since 1986. He is the clinical director of the ADHD Information Library's family of seven web sites, including http://www.newideas.net, helping over 350,000 parents and teachers learn more about ADHD each year. Dr. Cowan also serves on the Medical Advisory Board of VAXA International of Tampa, FL., is President of the Board of Directors for KAXL 88.3 FM in central California, and is President of NewIdeas.net Incorporated.

---

Hypnotic Myths

Even though hypnosis has been around officially since the 1700s... Read More

Emotion is a Reaction to the Influence

Each one of us is linked to the emotions whether... Read More

Balancing Brain Lobes - Mutras

When does consciousness exist? Will the sentient robots being created... Read More

Rediscovering the Mind

From the viewpoint of a modern microbiologist, we hear the... Read More

Synchronized Swimming Advantage for Twins

The Olympic Contests for Synchronized Swimming are a testament to... Read More

Fairies and Mental Health

Schizophrenics hallucinate alternate realities. People who claim to have been... Read More

Intuition

I. The Three IntuitionsIA. Eidetic IntuitionsIntuition is supposed to be... Read More

Serial Killers

Countess Erszebet Bathory was a breathtakingly beautiful, unusually well-educated woman,... Read More

Artificial Intelligence - What Have We Learned Through Natural Ignorance?

During the late '80s and early '90s, I had the... Read More

Do You Love Your Body?

Through out the course of one's life one is faced... Read More

Right Brain, Left Brain

The right brain controls the left side of the body... Read More

What is the Treatment for Bipolar Disorder?

How do we treat bipolar disorder? Specifically, how do we... Read More

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) At a Glance

Most narcissists (75%) are men.NPD is one of a "family"... Read More

Dredging the Truth

To seek and find truth requires that we communicate within... Read More

On Empathy

The Encyclopaedia Britannica (1999 edition) defines empathy as:"The ability to... Read More

Psychological Tips for Effective Studying

STUDY STRATEGIES* Revise regularly- Revision should be continuous if you... Read More

Kleptomaniac Confessions

Ever felt urged to steal a piece of bubblegum from... Read More

Accepting New Ideas

Much of the time when a new idea comes to... Read More

What?s the Problem: Introducing Solution Focus Pt 1

Solution Focus is the brain child of Insoo Kim Berg... Read More

Emotional Intelligence: The Basics

There's so much talk about emotional intelligence and how it... Read More

Hypnosis: A Brief History

Evidence of hypnotic-like phenomena appears in many ancient cultures. The... Read More

Randomness of Human Thought

Random thought Sequence in the Human Mind. I want to... Read More

Its Never Too Late

First of all, a bit of background: A high school... Read More

A Jungian Approach to Mental Illness

All of us suffer from some form of emotional distress... Read More

Lesson Plans that Reach the Multiple Intelligences

American schools have traditionally favored those students who excel in... Read More

Christian Psychotherapy for Convicts?

Repeated research studies have revealed that secular efforts at rehabilitation... Read More

Behavioral Manifestations of Alzheimer?s Dementia

Alzheimer's Dementia has a combination of cognitive and behavioral manifestations.... Read More

The Diagnosis Myth

Although I risk dissension by doing so, I must say... Read More

What is the Addictions Recovery Measurement System?

As I climbed 15-feet on a wooden ladder to the... Read More

The Mind, Information, and Attitude

Information is flowing to us at a great rate. The... Read More

The Special Secret of Intuition

The limbic systemNerve impulses were known to relay feelings and... Read More

Solution Focus Process: Solution Talk vs. Problem Talk Pt I

Solution Talk vs. Problem TalkProblem talk, of course, is talk... Read More

Achieving an Ambidextrous Mindset

History lends us an ideal of ambidexterity: Leonardo da Vinci,... Read More