ADHD: Diagnosing and Treating

A diagnosis of ADHD in your family can be unsettling. It is important that families understand the impact of a new diagnosis. ADHD is a diagnosable, treatable, biologically based disorder that we now know more about than we did even 10 or 15 years ago. The primary symptoms include some combination of inattentiveness or distractibility, impulsivity, and in some people physical restlessness or hyperactive behavior. ADHD occurs in 3% to 5% of children in this country; roughly, half of those children continue to have significant levels of ADHD symptoms as adults, which means 2% or 3% of the adult population has some levels of ADHD.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (2000 May) states, "Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood. ADHD is also among the most prevalent chronic health conditions affecting school-aged children." …