Millions of children throughout the United States suffer from attention deficit disorder in one form or another. Symptoms of this problem include impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, and inability to pay attention for long periods of time. You may also hear this chronic disorder referred to as ADD or ADHD. It can continue on into adulthood, causing problems with daily life, poor self esteem, trouble interaction, and bad performance in work or school.

There are many different theories as to the causes of attention deficit disorder. However, none of them have been proven correct at this time. Some people believe that this disorder is caused during the embryo's development in the womb. Others believe that environmental factors such as socioeconomic status and parental drug use may play a part. Many cases of ADD appear to be caused be biological issues. The genes which control levels of neurotransmitters in the brain have been shown to be different in children suffering from ADD than in other children.

The symptoms of attention deficit disorder are the primary means used to identify it. Many doctors are reluctant to confirm that a child has ADD unless he or she shows what are considered the core symptoms. These will show up early in life and eventually become an important part of behavior patterns. These symptoms are the ones which cause so many problems, both at home and at school.

If a child shows six or more of the symptoms of ADD for a period of six months or more, a doctor may come to the conclusion that he or she has the disorder. Most of the common symptoms show up around seven years of age. However, they can also manifest much earlier. Remember that these signs must be consistent. It's normal for children to periodically show signs of inattentiveness. Their attention spans are naturally shorter than those of adults.

Children with ADD often have trouble paying close attention to the details of school activities. This means that although the child is intelligent and understands the work, careless mistakes may be common. Children who suffer from ADD may also have trouble completing simple tasks or paying attention while playing. They may seem not to be listening when you speak to them directly.

Children who suffer from this problem will often avoid any task which requires them to focus or think for long stretches of time. They may lose important objects like books, toys, and writing materials. They can be disorganized, easily distracted, or have trouble remembering important facts and details.

It's important to avoid misdiagnosis of ADD. Diagnosing a child as having the disorder when he or she does not could cause them to be unnecessarily medicated. This excess medication can create new problems of its own. A misdiagnosis of ADD may also mask problems that a child is having with parents or teachers. Remember that when a child exhibits the warning signs of this disorder, it's important to get help quickly. Statistically, children with ADD are more likely to abuse drugs or alcohol, suffer injury, get into a car accident as a teen, and suffer from poor grades, depression and anxiety.

There are many different approaches to treating children with attention deficit disorder. Some of them are quite controversial. Since attention deficit disorder is a problem that mostly arises in children, the age of the patient is important when considering whether to prescribe medication or utilize experimental techniques.

Many children's ADD is treated through the use of psycho-stimulants or other prescribed medications. These can relieve most of the symptoms suffered by children with attention deficit disorder. However, they are not a cure for the problem. In addition, treatment of very young children with medications of this kind is still controversial. Because of this, many parents choose to forego this step and instead choose counseling, special concessions at school, and family and community support to attempt to treat their children's condition.

Patience and support are required when raising a child who has ADD. Many of these children can benefit from therapy with a psychologist, psychiatrist, or other counselor. Behavioral and social training can help them cope with their problem. Support groups composed of other parents and children who suffer from ADD are also common. Many parents who choose medication also use these methods in addition.