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About
AD/HD and the Difficulty of Assessing It
What is AD/HD? According to
the American Psychiatric Association, AD/HD is a neurological disorder
that affects three to five percent of school age children. It is
characterized by developmentally inappropriate impulsivity, inattention,
and in some cases, hyperactivity. AD/HD tends to persist from childhood
through adolescence, and many symptoms continue into adulthood. It is
thought that between two and four percent of adults have AD/HD.
Why is AD/HD so difficult to assess?
The symptoms of AD/HD are similar to those of more than
30 other disorders, each requiring different types of medication and/or
treatment. These include problems ranging from simple hearing/vision
abnormalities and allergies to depression and other disorders.
Between 1990 and 2000, there was a seven-fold increase in
prescriptions for Ritalin and other medications used in AD/HD
treatment. Approximately 15% of children and adolescents are receiving
medical treatment for AD/HD in the United States today. The increasing
prevalence of AD/HD has led many to believe that a better test was
needed to help doctors more effectively evaluate their patients.
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