Recently we talked in Babies and more of a pathology that, for a while, seems to be very fashionable among children who are somewhat restless and, therefore, makes mothers and fathers wonder if they have my child Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Today we will see the possible causes of ADHD in boys and girls, although the nature of this disorder remains unclear at the moment. It is true that we know some of the main factors that predispose to the appearance of this disorder, as well as different protective factors, but not its exact origin.
Let us then check which are those factors that influence and favor the appearance of ADHD and which are those that prevent it from developing in its entirety.
Factors that protect from the appearance of ADHD
We can talk mainly about four Protective factors which are: higher educational level of parents, better overall health of the child, greater cognitive abilities (especially related to language) of the child and greater family stability.
All these factors can make it more difficult to develop a disorder of this type, although it does not mean that it is the final panacea so that ADHD-related symptoms do not appear.
Factors that predispose the onset of ADHD
Obviously, among the factors that predispose the onset of ADHDThe main one is the existence of a family history of the disorder. We can also find other factors such as the consumption of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs, along with a poor diet of the mother during pregnancy, low weight of the child at birth, low general cultural level of the parents, poor health or delays in the development of the baby ...
Thanks to the advances in science of recent times, the idea that there is a relationship between ADHD and people neurobiological aspects of the child in the appearance of the disorder. For example, there are different investigations that have managed to identify alterations in the dopamine transporter gene, which is related to impulsivity, and the dopamine receptor gene, related to attention.
However, we must bear in mind that there are multiple causes that can lead to the development and maintenance of ADHD symptoms, so it is very important to see the characteristics of the child and the environment in which it operates as a whole, not as separate aspects.
Early childhood risk indicators
We can point out, briefly, different early childhood risk indicators. For example, a child will be more susceptible to ADHD when their family life is lacking reasonable control or has a significant emotional stress burden. On the other hand, this predisposition can be diminished by factors that act in a positive direction, such as maternal and paternal affection and support.
One of the most important risk indicators and to which special attention should be paid is the family climate and parenting. The characteristic behavior pattern of children with ADHD in early childhood can generate feelings of personal inefficiency, stress, frustration, anger and rejection.
All these negative feelings, which influence mother-father-child interaction, make it common to apply discipline guidelines that are either excessively permissive or, on the contrary, extremely authoritarian. As a result, the relationship problems that are generated at this time have a strong negative impact on the correct development of the child.
The temperamental characteristics of children with ADHD are usually related, mainly, with a temperament that hinders their upbringing. This is presented in the form of poor adaptation to new situations, bad mood or difficulty adapting to routines.
They are also usually children with an excess of activity, who reacted disproportionately to environmental stimuli, were irritable and demanded their continued attention.
However, we will talk later, and in more detail, about the manifestations of ADHD in young children, in order to try to clarify how we can identify a child with this type of disorder.
As you can see, the possible causes of ADHD in boys and girls They are still not entirely clear, and it is necessary to continue investigating to be able to clearly determine what is causing this type of disorder that, unfortunately, is increasingly used more lightly without taking into account the consequences that this type of labels
