Attention Deficit Disorder

(ADD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that most often occurs in children, but can also be diagnosed later in adulthood, although this can easily be confused and misdiagnosed with brain fog.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 1 in 20 children, and an estimated 1-million South African adults, yet it is a condition often misdiagnosed, and plagued by myths and misunderstandings, particularly with regard to treatment. When undiagnosed or not effectively treated, ADHD often sees children being unfairly labelled as naughty, delinquent, unteachable, and adults as lazy, lacking focus or incompetent.

Symptoms of ADHD include:

  • having trouble concentrating or focusing
  • having difficulty staying organized
  • being forgetful about completing tasks
  • having difficulty sitting still

It can be a difficult condition to diagnose. Many symptoms of ADHD can be typical childhood behaviours, especially when we consider that many children spend little time outdoors playing, running around in fresh air but instead find themselves docile in front of some kind of device, focused on a screen.

5 Fast Facts

One

Males are almost three times more likelyTrusted Source to be diagnosed with ADHD than females

Two

During their lifetimes, 13 percent of menTrusted Source will be diagnosed with ADHD. Just 4.2 percent of women will be diagnosed.

Three

The average ageTrusted Source of ADHD diagnosis is 7 years old.

Four

Symptoms of ADHD typically first appear between the ages of 3 and 6Trusted Source.

Five

ADHD isn’t just a childhood disorder. About 4 percent of American adults over the age of 18 deal with ADHD on a daily basis.

There are demographic factors that impact the likelihood of being diagnosed with ADHD. Children living in households where English is the main language are more than four times as likelyTrusted Source to be diagnosed as children living in households where English is the second language. And children living in households that make less than two times the federal poverty levelTrusted Source have a higher probability than children from higher-income households.

Currently, 6.1 percent of American childrenTrusted Source are being treated for ADHD with medication. Some states have higher rates of treatment with medication than others. About 23 percent of American childrenTrusted Source who have been diagnosed with ADHD aren’t receiving medicine or mental health counseling for their disorder.

ADHD doesn’t increase a person’s risk for other conditions or diseases. But some people with ADHD — especially children — are more likely to experience a range of coexisting conditions. They can sometimes make social situations more difficult or school more challenging.

Some possible coexisting conditions include:

  • learning disabilities
  • conduct disorders and difficulties, including antisocial behavior, fighting, and oppositional defiant disorder
  • anxiety disorder
  • depression
  • bipolar disorder
  • Tourette’s syndrome
  • substance abuse
  • bed-wetting problems
  • sleep disorders

Different Symptoms

Boys and girls can display very different ADHD symptoms, and boys are much more likely to be diagnosed with the attention disorder. Why? It’s possible the nature of ADHD symptoms in boys makes their condition more noticeable than it is in girls.

Boys tend to display externalized symptoms that most people think of when they think of ADHD behavior, for example:

  • impulsivity or “acting out”
  • hyperactivity, such as running and jumping
  • lack of focus, including inattentiveness

ADHD in girls is often easy to overlook because it’s not “typical” ADHD behavior. The symptoms aren’t as obvious as they are in boys. They can include:

  • being withdrawn
  • low self-esteem and anxiety
  • impairment in attention that may lead to difficulty with academic achievement
  • inattentiveness or a tendency to “daydream”
  • verbal aggression, such as teasing, taunting, or name-calling.

Efficacy of Photobiomodulation for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Case StudiesWilliam Stephan1, Louis J. Banas1,2, William Brierley1, Michael R. Hamblin3

Abstract

Extensive research has now been conducted and published for the treatment of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and other brain disorders using photobiomodulation (PBM), also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT). However, minimal information is available regarding the use of LLLT for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). We have been using LLLT in our practice for over 15 years addressing chronic pain and injury issues. However, our work with brain injuries is more recent, and we have published three case studies, one describing a serious traumatic brain injury and two describing our success with dementia/Alzheimer’s disease and PTSD. Currently, there is very little published evidence regarding efficacious therapy for ADHD. The case studies presented here, suggest that LLLT can provide alleviation of these symptoms, with some improvement reported after just a single treatment, without any need for pharmaceutical intervention.