Kids With ADHD Have Distinct Brain Patterns
Kids With ADHD Have Distinct Brain Patterns
Researchers Working Toward Developing a Test for ADHD
But research like this is important for unraveling how the brain works in people with ADHD, Rumack says. "It would be great to have a way to diagnose ADHD."
Currently, there is no single test for the disorder. If medical tests rule out other conditions, doctors usually diagnose the condition based on symptoms brought to their attention by parents, who often hear about them from teachers.
The symptoms -- which include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity -- can simply be signs a child is bored in school, Rumack says.
As a result, many children are incorrectly labeled with ADHD -- and given drugs like Ritalin when they don't need them, she says.
ADHD is a common childhood disorder, affecting an estimated 5% to 8% of school-aged children.
Li says much of the research conducted on ADHD has focused on the impulsivity component of the disorder.
The new study, she says, is one of the first to look at inattentiveness in ADHD.
These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.
Kids With ADHD Have Distinct Brain Patterns
Researchers Working Toward Developing a Test for ADHD
Much Work Remains continued...
But research like this is important for unraveling how the brain works in people with ADHD, Rumack says. "It would be great to have a way to diagnose ADHD."
Currently, there is no single test for the disorder. If medical tests rule out other conditions, doctors usually diagnose the condition based on symptoms brought to their attention by parents, who often hear about them from teachers.
The symptoms -- which include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity -- can simply be signs a child is bored in school, Rumack says.
As a result, many children are incorrectly labeled with ADHD -- and given drugs like Ritalin when they don't need them, she says.
ADHD is a common childhood disorder, affecting an estimated 5% to 8% of school-aged children.
Li says much of the research conducted on ADHD has focused on the impulsivity component of the disorder.
The new study, she says, is one of the first to look at inattentiveness in ADHD.
These findings were presented at a medical conference. They should be considered preliminary as they have not yet undergone the "peer review" process, in which outside experts scrutinize the data prior to publication in a medical journal.