Is ADHD or ADD heriditary? Also is there a way to avoid your children having it if you dont have it?i?
595349
I think you're pretty much spot on with your question.  There's nothing to suggest it's hereditary and in fact, ADHD / ADD is little more than a modern 'convenience illness'.  In many cases it's used as a label applied to badly behaved kids and is often done so by physicians in order to make parents feel better about themselves.\n\nThe reliable research that's been done very strongly suggests that it's environmental factors not hereditary ones and as you pointed out, diet is one of the most influential factors.  Others include peers, school, parents, society, media and all those other things that affect the way a child behaves.\n\nThe general consensus amongst the experts is that it's not even a condition per se but just a politically correct and socially acceptable way of rebranding a misbehaving child.\n\nThe genetic 'link' is most probably due to the fact that children are likely to lead a similar lifestyle to their parents.  If someone is bought up on burgers and fries then they're likely to bring their children up in a similar way.
523891
ADD and ADHD exist. Period. You cannot refute gravity anymore than you can refute the existence of ADD. The treatment methods however are very questionable. \nDrugs are for recreation, mmkay?\nNothing wrong with being ADD, ADHD, our schooling systems just don't fit their learning abilities. \nThey learn different.\nSome people are visual learners, some are tactile learners, some are auditory learners, different learning types for different thinking types. \nYou are taught that you can only write with 1 hand. That's bullshit too, anyone can learn to write with both hands it just takes practice. I am willing to bet that most people write better with their second hand than I with my first.
286370
I am not sure of this 100%. But you can take a look for yourself.\n\nI suffer from ADD. I have been on pills, but would rather just deal with it. Good Luck to your son.
843654
My family is full of ADD and ADHD people, including myself!\n\nFirst, make an appointment and go to a REPUTABLE Doctor in the field of behavioral medicine to obtain a diagnosis. A good doctor will put you through several test that can take up to 2 hours or more to diagnose you. Once you are diagnosed, you and your doctor can decide on the best approach for your care. There is a new drug on the market for the treatment of ADD that is not a stimulant, it is called Strattera.\n\nStimulant abuse is very common with people who are ADD. It is a form of self-medicating. You MUST be very upfront with your doctor about your past history of drug abuse.\n\nGood luck to you.
165563
They now use ADHD or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder instead of the old ADD terminology. If you take the H or hyperactivity out, ADD is having problems with attention and impulsivity.\nThe consequences of untreated ADD depend on age and what you do. For a young child, sitting still in school and paying attention to teacher talking is a problem and bad grades would be the cosequence. Children with ADD who don't take medication to correct the problem will struggle with basic subjects throughout their lives not because they are not smart enough but because they just miss out on everything around them.\nFor adults, the problems are different. Forgetfullness, distractability, and inability to focus can cause problems with job performance, relationships, etc.
726410
Attention Deficit Disorder is a condition that makes it difficult if not impossible to focus on the task at hand.  A person with ADD is easily distracted, has trouble staying on task, and sometimes the ADD is accompanied by a hyperactivity disorder.\n\nThe good news is that there are some great medications available, which can control the condition.  See a doctor.  I have a grandson with ADHD, who is very well controlled, doing well in school, and, you wouldn never know he had ADHD unless someone told you.  Prior to finding the right medication, he was having considerable difficulty in school...not because he didn't have the necessary intelligence, but simply because he couldn't stay focused on the subject at hand.
266839
I took my son's adderal and welbutrin.....and as a result I took my son off of it..       It messed  me   up...and I decided right then and there I didn't want my Child taking that  stuff....   Plus it caused him to have Heart Palpitations" and "anxiety" attacks..    He wasn't ADD  he was just High spirited and needed extra supervision........    that was when he was 5 now he is 13 and is still a handful   but    he is a good kid  with good morals. and I  am so glad I got him off his meds.   He doesn't even remember half his child hood.  You know I hope that the schools get more money for every kid they have that is diagnosed with Adhd or ADD.   Think about it and think about your Kid.
130390
I feel your pain, and share your view in general on medications. I have a daughter, now 8 years old who has ADHD. They told me when she was six that she needed to be medicated and I absolutely refused to consider it. I thought that medication was being used way too often and I was not about to put her on it. Well, things continued to get worse for her, me our family as we tried to control her behaviors without meds. She started losing her friends, doing poorly in school, and her brothers started to resent her for the behaviors she would act out and ruin our family outings. I finally agreed about 6 months ago  to try her on the lowest dose possible to try to make things a little better. Now, I regret not doing it sooner. She is by no means perfectly behaved or on task, but she is now able to do her school work with minimum redirecting, sustain friendships, and has control over her behaviors. This medication has not altered her pesonality or put her in to a dazed state like I thought it would. It really has just helped her to be able to live a more normal life. She still has her times when she doesn't want to listen, do homework and pouts or cries, but it is now within reasonable limits. I agree that medication should not just be handed out like candy, but sometimes the child really does need it. With proper monitoring and dosage your son should be fine. The only side effect my daughter has had is a little weight loss, but even that tapered off after the first 2 months. She is a much happier child now, and it is a much more peaceful house. I wish you luck with your son, and in making this decision, as I know it is a hard one to make. I fought it for 1 1/2 years. Good Luck.
727430
I sympathize with you!  I have a brother with ADHD and have seen what my parents have gone thru with him.  Have you ever tried to sit down and talk to her about what she is doing?  Let her know the outcomes of her actions.  If sitting down with her is unsuccessful, try a councelor or psychologist to see if that avenue helps.  If still no luck, contact your doctor or CPS to see if there are any options you can do or have to help your daughter.  See if there are any other meds that your daughter can take.  I know for ADHD there is a med called Stratera that I have heard helps(from my brother).  You need to set up a structured adjenda each day for her to follow.  Talk to your schools principal to let him know that they need to be very patient and disaplined with her.  Have some kind of schedule there at school for her.  Maybe shorter class times, half days of school for awhile, one on one classes, whatever will benefit and help your daughter.  There are more resources out there than you think.  Check out on the internet about ADHD, ODD to see if on those websites there are any options and ideas for you to try or if they reccommend any meds or things for her.  Good luck to you and your daughter.
380797
Many doctors now feel that adhd is wrongly diagnosed, so first get it tested again. Many mothers would say that children get along well without medication. Join a self help group understand the problem and then take a decision. The guy who answered you first is a moron and not adhd, so don't think your son will be like him.
503120
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)\n\nBrief meaning:If your child has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, you may be wondering what form of treatment to use. Usually, medication and/or behavior management are recommended. Neither medication alone nor behavior management alone gives consistent long-term results. Medication alone does not help children with ADHD a great deal in their social and academic functioning. Behavioral therapy may be needed to tackle ADHD-related behavior problems. Behavior therapy alone often doesn't give the benefits as when used with medication. This may be partly because effective behavior-management programs are difficult to implement. They require ongoing efforts and cooperation over long periods of time by the children, parents, and teachers if they are to work. But when combined, medication and behavior management offer the greatest chance for long-term successful management of behavior.
160508
There's also a chance of his having been misdiagnosed ADHD when his actual issue is oppositional/defiant disorder, which has many traits in common with ADHD.  A problem with ADHD is that it is far too often diagnosed by people other than psychiatrists (general practitioners, especially at the request of school administrators with no medical training).
342436
ADD (actually it's ADHD) is onew of the most studied conditions in medicine- it's definitely not a farce.  You don't have to be hyperactive to have it- it's more about your brain's ability to organize and focus.  A good book to read is "Driven to Distraction" by Hallowell and Ratey.  The most thorough and up-to date book I have read on the subject is "Attention Deficit Disorder" by Brown.  You should seek a clinical consultation, preferably with someone who is experienced in recognizing ADHD.  Correct treatment can make a  huge difference in your life, so so whatever it takes! P.S. contact me if you want more info...
431779
I think this happens because people started "over-diagnosing" ADD especially.  When a child was acting up for a while, they had ADD and that was it.  Now the trend has gone back to, we messed up with that, no one really has ADD (By the way ADD is gone, it is now called ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).  So now it makes it hard to determine who really has a condition and who doesn't because a child could be having episodes (normal) or really have an issue.\n\nKudos to you for being a good parent and following up with your child rather than just believeing what teh school has to say.  I don't think parents gives kids or other authorities enough respect over things like schools or law.  Well Done and good luck!
508851
go to his pediatrician. The pediatrician should refer you.\ni think public schools might be able to offer some type of service as well.. not sure about that.. but 1st check with his pediatrician..\n\ngood luck..\n\nand note for ibitecareful.. you idiot.. there is such a thing called adhd for children.. if you are not going to answer properly to this person whom is asking for help.. don't both answering with stupid answers.. maybe you need you butt smacked you useless fool!!
852644
I AGREE WITH YOU TOTALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!\nthey shouldnt be putting little kids on meds just cause there hyper! i have adhd too but im 13 and actually do need help for it cause i cant pass junior high without it cause im too hyper and cant focus on anything but i heard about moms wanting to put there 3 year olds on meds of adhd and thats just wrong! i think little kids are supposed to be happy and hyper or else there not normal the only reason i would be ok with them putting a kid under ummm probably 4 th grade on meds for that is if the kid is so out of control that there a danger to themself or others cause they dont think at all about whats dangerous thats like the only reason to put a kid under 4th grade or 5th grade on meds. wow im soo happy theres more people then just me that think this. thankyou maybe some parents with little kids will read this and take your advice. :)
724681
My daughter was on Adderall for years.  When she was in 1st grade she was found to be ADHD. When we got her on the correct medicine and dosage, she went to flunking to straight a's.  \n\nWhen she visited her dads house he would say the same thing.  He thought i was doing it to make it easier on me.  I offered for him to talk to her doctor and read her assessment.  He refused but just kept accusing me of giving her the meds because i was lazy.  Well, now she is 15 and the hyperactivity is gone.  We are now just dealing the the attention deficite part and he can finally see that what i did, was for her own good.  \n\nMaybe you just need to ask to talk to the doctor that diagnosed the boy.  Ask to see the diagnostic tests that were used and the results.  Also the schools do an evaluation if they are aware of a problem with the child.  The parents should get a copy of that.  I would ask for any documentation that is available and then work with the other parent to adjust the dosage or meds so that they work with the boy to help him get good grades in school.