By Ulla Saastamoinen Do you ever feel like you know just enough about adhd to be
dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the
latest info from adhd experts.
There has been a lot of research done on how exactly you get ADHD,
and it is now known that genetics is at least part of the reason.
Currently, research shows that at least 30%25-40%25 of individuals with
ADHD have a family member that deals with the same kinds of issues.
But this does not mean that the whole family will be affected by
these issues. It appears through findings that only one member of a
family will be affected by ADHD.
There are still many different theories as to what exactly causes
ADHD. For many years, it was thought that ADHD was caused by some
kind of brain damage. It is now thought that it is caused by brain
chemistry. Researchers have been looking specifically at
neurotransmitters as the cause of ADHD. Examples of
neurotransmitters that could be affected by this disorder are
dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. Because people in families
tend to have similar brain wirings, it makes sense that ADHD would be
at least partly genetic.
Other theories that have been investigated are that ADHD could also
be caused by some sort of illness or accident that caused damage to
the brain. This could include complications that occur during
pregnancy such as drugs used to prevent infectious diseases,
overexposure to radiation or a complicated delivery. Other causes
could be the use of alcohol during pregnancy.
Most of this information comes straight from the adhd pros. Careful
reading to the end virtually guarantees that you'll know what they
know.
Many have questioned whether nutritional deficiencies have any link
to ADHD. While it has not been ruled out, I highly doubt that a
particular deficiency would cause this disorder. While it is true
that certain nutritional deficiencies will cause symptoms that are
similar to ADHD, there is no proof or scientific evidence that a link
exists. Research experts in autism and other behavior disorders have
looked for a nutritional link as well, but none exists. There has
been some evidence that the Feingold diet may help diminish symptoms
of ADHD, though.
Since the diagnosis of ADHD has become so much more common in recent
years, it is often that an older family member will get diagnosed
while bringing their son or daughter in to get tested. This may
provide some relief to individuals who weren't sure exactly why they
were the way they were. Some may decide to go on medication upon
diagnosis, and some may not. But often the late diagnosis does
explain some part of the individual's life that did not make sense
before.
If there are not members in a family that have ADHD per se, there
may be other similar disorders. Although there is not a formal link
between autism and ADHD, there are similarities and the two disorders
tend to run together. Someone may have autism or Asperger's in your
family background. Also, someone may have bipolar or OCD; these are
mainly brain based disorders that have been loosely linked to ADHD
and are sometimes co-morbid.

Hopefully the sections above have contributed to your understanding
of adhd. Share your new understanding about adhd with others. They'll
thank you for it.

Ulla Saastamoinen is an Online Business Entrepreneur and has
recently created an amazing new eBook. "How to live with ADHD" at:
http://www.101-healthy-recipes.com/adhd/