Answering the Question: What Is ADHD

To answer the question what is ADHD, the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) is the most authoritative resource.

In order to receive a diagnosis of Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, the patient must present with six or more specific symptoms for at least six months. The symptoms must also be severe enough to be inappropriate or disruptive for the patient's level of development.

The three categories of possible symptoms are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Symptoms of inattention include difficulty staying focused on school work or paying attention to details.

Fidgeting, squirming, and an inability to remain seated are all symptoms of hyperactivity. With regard to impulsivity, the patient may speak out of turn, interrupt others, or have difficulty waiting.

Online ADHD Test

Curious whether you have ADHD? On PsychCentral.com, you can find a quick 24-question ADHD test to see if you might have the diagnosis.

The quiz will ask you to rate the truth of 24 statements from "not at all" true to "very much" true. When you answer the questions, you should do so according to how you've felt and acted for most of your life as an adult.

The questions ask about things like your ability to focus, tendency to complete plans, and your activity level. Once you complete the questions, you can click to get a score and analysis of your results.

If you have trouble completing the 24-item questionnaire, you can also complete a shorter quiz on the same site. The shorter quiz has only six items.

Exposure to Tobacco in Womb One of Possible Causes of ADHD

Research indicates that prenatal exposure to cigarette smoke is one of many possible causes of ADHD.

A recent article published in Biological Psychiatry indicates that babies exposed to smoke in the womb have a higher risk of developing ADHD.

For babies who are genetically predisposed to ADHD, smoking during pregnancy drastically increases the likelihood of the disorder. Interestingly, children who are at higher risk for developing ADHD also are at higher risk for substance-abuse disorders.

"When the child has either or both of two specific forms of dopamine pathway genes (DAT and DRD4), and was exposed to cigarette smoking in utero, the risk for having combined type ADHD (many inattention and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms) increased 3 to 9 fold," stated one of the study's authors, Dr. Rosalind.

Disordered Sleep Tied to ADHD in Children

New research has tied an underlying sleep disorder to ADHD in children.

A recent study published in this month's issue of the journal Sleep offers further evidence that children with ADHD may have chronic sleep deprivation and irregular REM sleep.

The study found that kids with ADHD sleep an average of eight hours and nineteen minutes. This sleep time was thirty-three minutes less than that of children without ADHD. The children in the control group slept an average of eight hours and 52 minutes.

In addition, the researchers discovered that kids with ADHD spend less time, about 16 minutes on average, in REM sleep than non-ADHD children.

"I do not believe that sleep per se is the cause of ADHD, but it may make the symptoms worse in children with sleep problems," explained the study's main author, Dr. Reut Gruber of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute.