ADHD Carli Carlineo Dimitra Rallis Emmy Baldwin Colin Snyder Diego Sandoval Chris Decker

Explanation One of the most common childhood disorders that can continue through teenage years and adulthood Three subtypes – Mostly hyper – Mostly has difficulty paying attention and understanding things – Both hyper and having difficulty paying attention and understanding things

Symptoms Have a hard time paying attention Daydream a lot Forget things Be in constant motion or unable to stay still Squirm or fidget Act and speak without thinking Has poor listening skills Easily distracted Talks too much Interrupts others

Diagnosis A licensed professional can gather information about a child and his behavior and environment Will ask questions like… – Does the child have a middle ear infection that could be causing hearing problems? – Are there any undetected hearing or vision problems? – Does the child have any learning disabilities?

Diagnosis (cont’d) After answering these questions, and many more, if a child has the symptoms of ADHD, he will be diagnosed with the disorder. For an adult to be diagnosed, he must have had ADHD symptoms as a child that have lasted into adulthood – A wider range of symptoms and factors may need to be considered when diagnosing an adult

Those Affected Children of all races and genders are most often affected by ADHD. Adults can also be diagnosed with the condition

Causes There is no exact cause. Research shows that ADHD could possibly be genetic. ADHD is seen more in prematurely born children. Environmental factors could play a part. There may be a link between smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy and ADHD in children. Toddlers exposed to high levels of lead may have a higher risk

Treatment Medication to improve one’s focus and attention and to decrease impulsiveness and hyperactivity – Adderall – Ritalin – Concerta Therapy may also help those who suffer from ADHD

Getting Help Rochester: Great Rochester Attention Deficit Disorder Association Rochester Rehabilitation Center 1000 Elmwood Ave Door #5 Facilitator: Bill Sydney Phone: (585) Website:

Getting Help (cont’d) Oswego: FADD Inc. (Families with Attention Deficit Disorder and Other Emotional Disabilities) FADD Inc. 98 East Bridge Street Oswego, NY Contact: Peggy Cuyler-Salem Phone: (315) Website:

Related/Interested Information Michael Phelps, Olympic swimmer, has ADHD Tommy Hilfiger, internationally known fashion designer, has ADHD. Bruce Jenner, 1976 gold medalist in the Olympic decathlon, also has ADHD.