Over the years, AD/HD has been blamed on everything from fetal alcohol syndrome to thyroid disorders but the cause remains unknown. Originally, AD/HD symptoms were observed in men returning home from war with head injuries. Over time, doctors began to observe and study similar symptoms and behaviors in young boys and assumed that similar brain damage must also be responsible. This “brain damage disorder” was associated with low intelligence and a dim outlook on the child’s chances of success in life.
Eventually, as the symptoms of AD/HD became more widely known, the fact that it seemed to run in families could no longer be avoided and the suspected cause needed more study. The original speculation of brain damage evolved into numerous other theories before finally settling into the “neuro-chemical deficiency” theory of today.
Keeping in mind that AD/HD is a real personality/behavior/learning style that requires a different set of parenting skills and teaching methods, these possible causes of symptoms should always be ruled out before AD/HD is diagnosed.
Brain Injury: The original confusion concerning AD/HD and brain damage was based on fact. Lead paint poisoning and cerebral palsy for example can produce AD/HD symptoms.
Learning Disability: Dyslexia and other learning disabilities are often misdiagnosed as AD/HD although they can also co-exist with AD/HD.
Food/Chemical Allergies: This condition was touted as the cause of AD/HD for a time and persists in many circles. Food/Chemical allergies do cause AD/HD symptoms in many people without AD/HD and when the source is eliminated, they are miraculously cured. People with AD/HD are often also sensitive to foods/chemicals that exacerbate their symptoms. Elimination diets may reduce the effects but in no way "cures" their AD/HD.
Sleep Apnea/Disorders: Sleep disorders and apnea have been shown to produce AD/HD symptoms in people without AD/HD and can be cured with treatment.
Mental Illness: While people with AD/HD can certainly also suffer from mental illness, conditions such as depression, anxiety and bi-polar disorder, can also produce symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulse control problems in people without AD/HD.
Genius/Gifted IQ: A popular idea at the moment is that AD/HD is a symptom of genius. Gifted people are often bored, inattentive and misdiagnosed with AD/HD, but AD/HD encompasses all IQ levels from severely disabled to gifted.
Family Problems/Parenting: There are two things to keep in mind. The first is that while bad parenting may not cause AD/HD, few parents are equipped to properly deal with an AD/HD child and need to seek professional help in order to avoid making the problem worse. The second is that family problems, poor parenting and abuse do cause otherwise normal children to react with behaviors that can be misinterpreted as AD/HD.
Boy Behavior: Plain old fashioned "boy behavior", exhibited by both males and females, is becoming less and less tolerated in today’s society. When paired with an unfortunate mismatch of teaching/learning styles, this normal behavior can be misdiagnosed as AD/HD.
