There has been a lot of research done on how exactly you get
ADHD, and it is now known that genetics is at least part of
the reason. Currently, research shows that at least 30%-40%
of individuals with ADHD have a family member that deals
with the same kinds of issues. But this does not mean that
the whole family will be affected by these issues. It
appears through findings that only one member of a family
will be affected by ADHD.

There are still many different theories as to what exactly
causes ADHD. For many years, it was thought that ADHD was
caused by some kind of brain damage. It is now thought that
it is caused by brain chemistry. Researchers have been
looking specifically at neurotransmitters as the cause of
ADHD. Examples of neurotransmitters that could be affected
by this disorder are dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.
Because people in families tend to have similar brain
wirings, it makes sense that ADHD would be at least partly
genetic.

Other theories that have been investigated are that ADHD
could also be caused by some sort of illness or accident
that caused damage to the brain. This could include
complications that occur during pregnancy such as drugs used
to prevent infectious diseases, overexposure to radiation or
a complicated delivery. Other causes could be the use of
alcohol during pregnancy.

Many have questioned whether nutritional deficiencies have
any link to ADHD. While it has not been ruled out, I highly
doubt that a particular deficiency would cause this
disorder. While it is true that certain nutritional
deficiencies will cause symptoms that are similar to ADHD,
there is no proof or scientific evidence that a link exists.
Research experts in autism and other behavior disorders have
looked for a nutritional link as well, but none exists.
There has been some evidence that the Feingold diet may help
diminish symptoms of ADHD, though.

Since the diagnosis of ADHD has become so much more common
in recent years, it is often that an older family member
will get diagnosed while bringing their son or daughter in
to get tested. This may provide some relief to individuals
who weren’t sure exactly why they were the way they were.
Some may decide to go on medication upon diagnosis, and some
may not. But often the late diagnosis does explain some
part of the individual’s life that did not make sense
before.

If there are not members in a family that have ADHD per se,
there may be other similar disorders. Although there is not
a formal link between autism and ADHD, there are
similarities and the two disorders tend to run together.
Someone may have autism or Asperger’s in your family
background. Also, someone may have bipolar or OCD; these are
mainly brain based disorders that have been loosely linked
to ADHD and are sometimes co-morbid.

Source: High Quality Article Database - 365articles.com