Childhood Hyperactivity Disorder

Childhood hyperactivity disorder is a form of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, one of the most commonly diagnosed behavioral problems in children. Not all children with ADHD will be hyperactive. Some might be just predominately inattentive, but children with ADHD also can be predominately hyperactive or have a combination of the two. There is no cure for hyperactivity disorder, but there are a number of options for managing it. Treating hyperactivity often requires a combination of medication and counseling, but diagnosis, treatment and severity will vary from child to child.

Prevalence

• Studies in recent years have determined that about one in 13 of U.S. schoolchildren meet the criteria for ADHD, though many of them remain undiagnosed. A 2007 study by Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center showed that 8.7 percent of children between the ages of 8 and 15 could be classified as having ADHD. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports slightly more conservative numbers, estimating between 3 percent and 7 percent of school children have the condition. Both sources agree that boys are more likely than girls to meet the criteria--about 9.5 percent of boys, compared with 5.9 percent of girls, according to the CDC--and boys are especially more likely to fall on the hyperactive side of ADHD.

Symptoms

• Children with hyperactive disorder often are unable to sit still. They will squirm or leave their seats when facing situations where they are expected to sit quietly. They might talk excessively. Hyperactive children also have trouble taking turns, be it during a conversation or while playing games. When asked a question, they often will try to answer it before the question is even completed. All children, however, might show some of these symptoms without it necessarily indicating hyperactive disorder. Parents should be concerned only if they are interfering with school performance or child's relationships with her peers.

Diagnosis

• The medical community has not developed one specific test to determine whether a child has hyperactive disorder. Psychiatrists, psychologists, pediatricians, and neurologists all are qualified to diagnose the disorder. However, psychologists are unable to prescribe medication, and neurologists cannot provide counseling. Doctors will submit children suspected of hyperactivity to an evaluation, but they also will look at evidence outside the examining room. They might question teachers, coaches and daycare providers to help inform their diagnosis. A number of other conditions--including hyperthyroidism, sleep disorders, autism and mood disorders--have symptoms that are similar to hyperactive disorder; they will want to rule those out as well.

Treatment

• A combination of medication and counseling is the most treatment for children with hyperactive disorder. Stimulant medications such as Ritalin, Adderall and Dexedrine are usually prescribed to balance the levels of chemicals in the brain, though it usually takes a trial-and-error period to get the optimum dosage. Types of counseling include training in social skills and group sessions, particularly for older children. Parents and other family members also often require some counseling to learn the best methods of dealing with the disorder. Hyperactive children require patience, affection and structure. There also are a number of alternative remedies, though most have little research to support them. These include yoga, diet changes such as the elimination of caffeine or the addition of vitamin supplements, and the use of herbal supplements like ginseng.

Causes

• The direct cause of hyperactive disorder in children remains unknown, but scientists have pinpointed a number of risk factors that can bring higher rates of the disorder. Most agree that the disorder is linked to genetics, as indicated by studies of twins, according to the CDC. Mothers who smoke or drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy give their child a higher risk of the disorder. Babies born prematurely or at a low birth rate also tend to have a higher risk. Other factors many attribute to causing hyperactivity--eating too much sugar or watching too much television--do not directly cause hyperactive disorders, though they certainly can make them more pronounced in children who already have them, the CDC reports.