Who is Vulnerable to Suffering from Hyperactivity?

Hyperactivity is, by definition, a disorder of childhood and early adolescence. It is much more common in boys than in girls, per­haps even nine times more common. There is also a genetic link, in that the concordance rate between identical twins is very high. In other words, if one identical twin has it, the other twin is virtually certain to have it as well. Researchers in Dublin have recently identified a candidate gene for the disorder.

Interestingly, affected boys tend to display more behavioral disturbance than girls, and girls tend to display greater cognitive difficulties than boys. Thus, affected girls are likely to sit quietly in class and escape attention, whereas boys are likely to cause trouble and quickly attract attention (and treatment) to them­selves. It is possible therefore that girls with the disorder are not being detected as readily as boys.

The outlook for hyperactive children is mixed. Most will improve substantially in their late adolescence or early adult­hood. A few will remain 'fully' hyperactive for much longer, and a few will remain 'partially' hyperactive. For those who do not 'grow out of it', there is a risk of psychiatric problems in later life, such as alcoholism, depression and anxiety. These adults may also find themselves subject to emotional liability, impulsivity and violent outbursts.

There are several complications to consider.

Implications for the child

In the first place the child with attention deficit will have diffi­culty concentrating, and is at risk of academic failure. At the very least, they will not develop their full potential. They are also unable to function socially, and are therefore at risk of becoming socially isolated. Furthermore, they are at risk of entanglement with undesirable company. They may meet other children and adolescents who are 'in trouble' for different reasons, very often reasons of misconduct based on defiance. Before long, they could find themselves embarked on a criminal career.

Implications for others

The other siblings in the family may feel aggrieved and/or neglected. This happens because of the great drain which a hyperactive child places on its parents' energies, a drain which will always be at the expense of other children in the house­hold. Parents struggle to strike a balance between constant con­frontation on the one hand and acceptable standards of discipline on the other. Teachers quickly become frustrated because they do not have the time or resources to provide the extra help which these children need.

Source: Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Natural Way to Treat ADHD by Basant K. Puri