Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is considered as among the most common yet serious brain disorders significant number of children are subjected to; the seriousness of which manifests in the ability of the disorder to continue to show up even after the childhood years, during the period of adolescence as well as adulthood. Considering the findings delivered by Brain Imaging Studies conducted on youth, it is revealed that people suffering from ADHD experiences delayed development of brain. Although, the pattern following which the brain matures is predominantly normal, when seen on average, the maturity or development of the brain is delayed by approximately 3 years. It is a chronic medical condition, to which millions of children are subjected, and which more than often persists in their adulthood as well. Identified as a common behavioral disorder affecting around 8 to 10 percent of the school going children, as highlighted by the statistics, boys are more likely to be diagnosed as suffering from this disorder than girls, however the precursor behind this finding is not yet clear. This research paper will be focusing on the specifics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) so as to understand about the disorder on a more empirical level, as a result of which the prevalence of the disorder could be altered along with the breakthroughs in the treatment for the disorder.

Prevalence

The prevalence of this disorder is alarming and it is as a result of this that this disorder is important to be studied. As stated by American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), around 3 of 7 percent of school-aged children suffer from ADHD. This rate however, has been found to be not in conformance with the samples drawn from the community which are estimated as being inclusive of higher rates of children suffering from ADHD. The percentage of children suffering from ADHD has been seen as changing over time. As per the reports filed in by parents, 9.5% of the children between the age group of 4 to 17 years have been diagnosed as suffering from behavioral disorder ADHD. This makes 9% of 5.4 million children between the age bracket of 4 to 17 years as of the year 2007 (http://www.cdc.gov). Rise in the proportion of children being diagnosed of ADHD as a result parent reporting was around by 22% during the year 2003 to 2007. This particularly indicates an increment in the rate of diagnosis of the condition; in addition to the rising prevalence rate as well, as the rate of diagnosis increased by 3% per year during the time period extending from year 1997 to 2006. This average further increased during 2003 to 2007 by 2.5% making the rate of ADHD diagnosis rise to 5.5% per year (http://www.cdc.gov). Boys at 13.52% emerged as having greater likelihood than girls, at 5.6%, to be ever diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Furthermore, it was noticed that the rates of diagnosis has been increasing ...