Possible Causes of ADHD
Worldwide, around 5-7% of people have a diagnosis of ADHD. While some people still do not consider ADHD to be a “real” health condition, medical, governmental and educational leaders worldwide agree that scientific evidence leaves no doubt that it is a physical disorder.
"As a matter of science, the notion that ADHD does not exist is simply wrong,” the 2002 International Consensus Statement on ADHD says. “All of the major medical associations and government health agencies recognize ADHD as a genuine disorder because the scientific evidence indicating it is so overwhelming."
Despite this, many myths persist regarding what causes ADHD. Let’s take a look at the facts and separate truth from fiction.
1. Genetics
This is the most common factor in determining whether or not a person will have ADHD or not. ADHD has a strong genetic basis; if a parent has ADHD, his or her child has a greater than 50% chance of also being diagnosed with ADHD.
Likewise, the siblings of a person with ADHD have more than a 30% chance of being diagnosed with ADHD as well. Experts of the American National Resource Center on ADHD, state that “although precise causes have not yet been identified, there is little question that heredity makes the largest contribution to the expression of the disorder in the population.”
Why is ADHD controversial? Most people agree that ADHD is a legitimate condition, however, the topic about diagnosis and treatment is widely debated.
