The Real ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)
Attention deficit disorder (ADD) has been historically defined as a genetic, biochemical disorder involving two neurotransmitters known to enhance attention processes within the brain. Although there is vast disagreement amongst the professionals, there is universal agreement on the genetic inheritability of this disorder that specifically affects the attention processes. Beyond this core concept, there is pervasive disagreement among the treating professionals as to exact what ADD is and what it is not.
Defining the “Real ADD”
More recently, we are in process of analyzing some of the data collected by United Psychological Services over a fifteen year span of diagnosing ADD/ADHD in children, adolescents and adults. Starting with females, we proceeded to exclude any individual where additional testing had been completed. This means that after analyzing the data there were signs of additional issues seen from a neurological perspective that warranted memory assessment, language or testing of the frontal processes. Starting with females, aged 5 through adulthood, we excluded those individuals where assessment was completed beyond the initial attention battery to make the ADD diagnosis. The population left in the study therefore had no suspected additional neurological concerns beyond that of a genetic attention disorder. With the population that was left (490 adults and 126 children) we then proceeded to analyze the trends noted on the self report measures completed by the parent, the teacher and the adult (being evaluated for ADD/ADHD).
Preliminary results suggested only one attention symptom (distractibility) that was of significant concern for parents of children in kindergarten through 6th grade on an attention self-report measure. There were no significant attention symptoms that emerged when parents of mostly 7th and 8th graders (age range to 14 years) completed the same self-report measure. However the teachers of these children indicated symptoms of failing to finish things or carry out assigned tasks, concentration, daydreaming and distractibility. Teachers did not indicate significant symptoms of either the hyperactive or the combined subtype. Adults (age 15 years and upward) reported significant concerns of depression, anxiety, fatigue and memory loss. The only attention symptom of concern that was reported was concentration.
What this points to is that when assessing ADD on a specific battery of neuropsychological tests, and excluding those individuals felt to have additional neurological concerns beyond that of ADD, the population that was exclusively isolated was ADHD Inattentive Type. Granted these are preliminary findings and findings of a single Neuropsychologist in private practice thus requiring further confirmation. That being said, the results still clearly suggest that after ruling out co-related disorders, on testing completed over a fifteen year period of time, the real ADD that emerged via symptom report was the Inattentive subtype.
The fact that there was a significant percentage of the population that was excluded due the finding of additional concerns warranting further evaluation, (in many cases resulting in additional disorders being diagnosed), points to the diversity of this population, which may the reason there is so much confusion ascertaining what ADD actually is.
Therefore it is believed that the ADHD Inattentive Type is the “real genetic ADD disorder” and the ADHD subtypes of hyperactivity and/or the combined subtype actually represent ADD plus an additional disorder or does not represent ADD at all and instead is an “acquired attention problem” subsequent to some type of neurological insult or brain disorder.
ADD can be treated: Long Lasting Changes with Cognitive Training Re-evaluation with this specific test battery points to the stability of these test measures as well as the diagnosis of ADD over time despite ongoing use of stimulant medication over a period of two to twelve years. Test results confirmed the short-term effects of medication and the long-term impact upon brain function that remains despite medical management. Testing administered following our cognitive training program used for ADD revealed significant improvement that has held steady through time. Simply put, while medication has not altered the course of ADD symptoms, our cognitive training program has, proven in the testing completed to diagnosis this disorder and following completion of the program. Testing completed several years following the cognitive training offered at our clinic still revealed significant changes proving the long lasting effects of this program in changing ADD symptoms through time.
ADD can be treated in many different ways, primarily with accurate diagnosis (ruling out the co-associated disorders) as well as addressing the physiological issues when present, and finally with cognitive training and the development of coping mechanisms. Having ADD never has to be a deterrent to attaining one’s lifelong goals or being successful in life at home, at work or in the school setting. Having ADD does mean that you may have to work harder at times and that things might not come easily all of the time. This does change with our cognitive training. However, working harder provides a method to strengthen one’s character and resolution which we believe are necessary assets in today’s changing world. The problem is that too often we think ADD means more than it does, too often we use ADD as an explanation of why we can’t do something (or to avoid something), and too often it is misdiagnosed as something else (or another disorder is not identified that is present in addition to ADD).
See our articles on Non-Medical Treatment of ADD That Lasts Over Time. Consider a coaching experience www.mentoringandcoaching.com
