WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW ?
ADD affects both boys & girls, can be inherited, is sometimes linked with Tics or OCD, but shouldn’t be confused with other disorders…
Despite the above problems, about 2-3% of children do indeed have ADD. It used to be thought more common in boys, but that may have been due to a tendency for girls with this disorder to be diagnosed less frequently or at an older age because they have less “bothersome” behavioral symptoms. ADD does tend to run in families, with a genetic/inherited basis, and is associated in some (but not all) of these families with certain other conditions including Tic Disorders and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. There is a neurologic basis for ADD and indeed all Learning Disabilities. The cause for these things has to do with the wiring and the chemistry of the brain. Unfortunately, much research still needs to be done before we fully understand the link between brain structure, chemistry, and function, however. Finally, an ADD-like syndrome can often be seen as part of a bigger picture – in children with different, more severe, neurologic or psychiatric problems. These include multiple Learning Disabilities, Mental Retardation, Brain Damage (from trauma, infection, surgery, or lack of oxygen), Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, or Psychosis. These children, despite the fact that they manifest many similar symptoms, are different from a child with “simple” ADD. The term ADD, therefore, should not be applied to them (although nowadays it often is).