In childhood, ADHD affects more boys than girls, but by adulthood, the number of males and females affected by ADHD is about equal. The behaviour of boys with ADHD tends to be more disruptive than girl’s  which accounts for more boys being assessed at a younger age than girls.

Not all children or adults with ADHD are hyperactive and/or impulsive.  About one quarter of children diagnosed with ADHD have only problems with attention.

Prior to 1994, ADHD was classified as two disorders; ADD (inattentive) and ADHD (inattentive/hyperactive). Currently, the disorder is called “ADHD” whether or not there is hyperactivity and/or impulsivity.  Current classification includes three subtypes of the disorder, which distinguish whether the child or adult is inattentive only (ADHD-IA), has inattention with hyperactivity and impulsivity (ADHD-HI) or is a combination of both (ADHD-CT).

Everyone to some degree is inattentive or impulsive.  That does not mean that everyone has ADHD. Diagnosis of the disorder distinguishes normal levels of inattention or hyperactivity from ADHD.

The symptoms of attention and hyperactivy/impulsivity are evaluated by clinicians using “rating scales”. These rating scales are completed by the child or adult with ADHD and/or by someone who knows them well. These scales also have symptoms that describe problems with being stubborn or particularly oppositional. These items are included in the rating scales for ADHD because about 40% of children with ADHD also have difficulty in this area, as well.

ADHD tends to occur more commonly in those with a family member affected. In fact, a child of an adult with ADHD has about a 50% chance of having ADHD.

Some people believe that certain parenting styles or life circumstances cause ADHD. While changes in these factors can make ADHD symptoms worse, they do not “cause” the disorder.

Management of ADHD symptoms often requires that parents and clinicians approach treatment from several angles at the same time. Treatment usually consists of a combination of behavioural management strategies, psychological interventions, medications and nutrition intervention and strategies.

A dietitian specializing in ADHD may be consulted because children with ADHD often eat very differently than non-ADHD children.  This is often a concern to parents, who have trouble knowing how to feed their ADHD children. “Picky eating” is a common concern to many parents of ADHD children, as is body height and weight.  Some parents are concerned that their children are underweight and shorter than their non-ADHD peers whereas others parents are concerned that their children are significantly taller and heavier than their non-ADHD peers. Both exist in ADHD for different reasons. A dietitian specializing in ADHD can help parents address these concerns.

Some of the medications used to treat ADHD have been documented to decrease appetite, resulting in decreased height and weight for age over time. This is often a concern to doctors, especially in ADHD children who are already small for their age.  Physicians may refer their patients to a dietitian specializing in ADHD.