ADHD

What is ADHD?

ADHD is the abbreviation of the English term for attention-deficit disorder with hyperactivity. Children with ADHD are restless, impulsive and may find it difficult to concentrate.
ADHD is most common in children between 4 and 16 years. ADHD has long been seen as a mental disorder of children. But adults have ADHD. These are also adults than in their youth had symptoms of ADHD. These adults have less of a hyperactive behavior, but suffer from concentration problems and inner turmoil. They can be chaotic and restless, are often late for appointments, talk about pressure and change jobs often.
ADHD is often associated with rebellious or aggressive behavior, which sometimes is difficult to determine to ADHD. For boys is more common than in girls.

Is it treatable?

Long time it was thought that ADHD stayed with a person from childhood to adulthood. But that idea has changed. Of the people treated,  one third keep ADHD, in the half, the phenomena exist in a milder form, but are still annoying. In one-third the symptoms disappear completely.

How common is it?
3-5% of children under 16 years old has ADHD. About 60,000 to 100,000 children in the Netherlands. Of these, about 40,000 are treated for ADHD. Of the young adults is 1-3% ADHD.  The number of children with ADHD, the last 20 years has not increased. ADHD has been increasingly recognized in children. As a result, more children treated for ADHD.

Causes

Causes of ADHD are still not exactly clear. However, additional risks known. That means there is more risk in the following cases. The additional risks have to do with sex and age, individual vulnerability and the environment. With the emergence heredity plays a role too, if someone has ADHD, then the environment plays a role.
There are additional risks known to the continued existence of ADHD in adulthood

Sex and age

ADHD is more common in boys than in girls: 2-3 times as much. In children in treatment, it is 5 times as many boys as girls. For adults is that as many women as men have ADHD.