These factors are discussed later.
If I have ADHD, will my child also have it?
No, not necessarily, but the chance is definitely greater
than if you did not have ADHD. For example, onethird
of fathers with a history of ADHD in childhood
have a child with ADHD. For mothers, the percentage
is somewhat lower. Sometimes, it is a male relative in
the mother’s family who has ADHD. Mothers presumably
have the ADHD gene, but they may exhibit
few or no symptoms. Nonetheless, these mothers can
pass the ADHD gene on to their children.We are still
not sure why females are less likely to have ADHD
symptoms, even when it is almost certain they have one
of the ADHD genes. In one study of ADHD adults
and controls, 43% of children with ADHD parents met
criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD, compared to 2% of
children in the control group of children who had parents
without ADHD. If your first child has ADHD, the risk
of your second child having ADHD is probably higher
than in the general population. However, predicting
the severity of ADHD or the type of ADHD that
might run in a family is not possible.
Do nongenetic risk factors for ADHD exist?
Results from a large national study performed in the
1960s indicated that a number of nongenetic factors
can affect the risk of ADHD. The children evaluated
in that study were followed from conception until 7 years
of age. Risk factors for ADHD included a history of
smoking, alcohol use, drug use or anemia during pregnancy,
breech birth, chorioamnionitis (infection of the
placenta) during labor, premature birth, and small head
size at birth. A family history of mental retardation
and low socioeconomic status also appeared to be risk
factors. Neurological problems in the first month of
life increase the risk of ADHD at age 7 years from 2% to
50%. In infancy, delayed development and increased
activity predict ADHD at age 7 years.When a 4-yearold
child has a small head size, astigmatism, or visual
motor, fine motor, or gross motor deficits, the risk of
ADHD is increased.
Psychosocial problems at home are also risk factors for
ADHD. A Hawaiian study revealed a 200% to 400%
increased risk of ADHD in children from families where
there was a lot of conflict in the home. In a Swedish
study, unsatisfactory family life was the largest risk factor
for ADHD, overriding any other medical problems.
Having a risk factor or even several risk factors does
not mean that ADHD is going to occur, but it makes
ADHD more likely than in someone who has no risk
factors. The various risk factors predispose a child to
ADHD to different degrees.
Was my child born with ADHD, or did it “develop?”
In most cases, to the extent that ADHD is a genetic
disorder, your child was born with ADHD. In other
words, the genes that contribute to the disorder were
present at birth. Some children born with the genes for
the disorder do not develop ADHD symptoms at all;
some have such slight difficulties with attention that it
goes undetected throughout their lives. Nevertheless,
the signs can appear and change over time, depending
on a variety of circumstances. Environmental factors
play a role even when the main cause is genetic. A child
with a mild disorder can subsequently manifest extreme
inattention or hyperactive behavior in the presence of
certain environmental factors, such as parental abuse or
neglect, poor living conditions, or other circumstances
that stress children emotionally. If ADHD symptoms
develop “suddenly,” it is likely that the disorder was
present but hidden, only appearing when an environmental
factor came into play.
My child with ADHD can sit and watch
TV for hours, but I have heard that watching
television can cause ADHD. Is this true?
Researchers have recently reported that for every hour
a day preschoolers watch television, their risk of developing
ADHD increases by about 10%. These new findings
are consistent with previous research showing that
television can shorten attention spans. Researchers have
speculated that TV might actually overstimulate and
permanently “rewire” the developing brain.
The newest study on TV watching assessed more
than 1000 children. Parents were questioned about the
children’s TV watching habits at 1 and 3 years of age.
They rated their children’s behavior at age 7 years on a
scale commonly used to diagnose ADHD. About 10%
met criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD, about the same
frequency as is usually found in 7-year-olds. But the
37% of 1-year-olds who watched 1 to 2 hours daily had
a 10% to 20% increased risk of attention problems; the
14% who watched 3 to 4 hours daily had a 30% to 40%
increased risk compared with children who watched no
TV. Among 3-year-olds, only 7% watched no TV, 44%
watched 1 to 2 hours daily, 27% watched 3 to 4 hours
daily, almost 11% watched 5 to 6 hours daily, and
about 10% watched 7 or more hours daily. These children
too were at increased risk for ADHD, and the
risk was proportionate to how much TV they watched.
Although the research has been done on TV watching,
the effects of any repetitive non-educational activity or
electronic device, such as playing video games, may be the same.
The TV research is compelling enough that the American
Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents
do not permit children under 2 years of age to watch
television because of concerns that it affects early brain
growth and the development of social, emotional, and
cognitive skills. And there are many other reasons
that children should not watch television. For example,
TV watching has been associated with obesity and
aggressiveness. So, even if it is one of the places your
ADHD child will sit quietly, it is best to limit TV
watching. You need to be creative about finding other
things your child would like to do. Reading to your
child or encouraging your child to read alone, even if
he is reading sports magazines or comic books, is a
better alternative.
Read More: What causes ADHD?
