ADD Age of Onset

“The DSM-IV diagnosis definition requires that some attentional or behavioral problem be present before the age of seven, but it is easy to miss the cues.  This is a disorder that may manifest in utero or may not be recognized until college  Children with excessive hyperactivity frequently let their mothers know they are ADD before they are born:  they kick, squirm, and wiggle constantly in the womb.  As one mother said, “He never let me have a minute’s peace from the time I conceived him until today.  When he was born he hit the ground running and has not stopped since.”  Incidentally, she was right.  Our office staff was exhausted trying to keep up with this athletic nine-year-old.  He tumbled, flipped, jumped, and climbed from the time he arrived until he left.     On the other hand, we frequently see the beginning college students who “never had any problems until now.”  John was a nineteen-year-old college freshman who had made average grades in high school.  He did okay until the work level exceeded his persistence and dedication.  Then John fell behind quickly.  His self-esteem dropped like a rock and he lost his motivation.  He had trouble focusing and remembering material he had studied.     Like, John, people with ADD are often bright and they often compensate for attention problems with hard work, good study habits, and persistence.  But as the material gets harder and harder, their compensation strategies begin to fail them.  They come into our office defeated and lost.  Their families are in shock because, “He did well in high-school.”  But, the material finally got too hard and there was too much of it.     So, there are people with ADD who are not identified until much later in life.  One parent recently told us, “Now I realize I was ADD.  I just thought I was not very smart. ” She was greatly relieved with her son’s diagnosis and to be able to label her own childhood problems.  We were able to successfully treat both child and mother, although it took much longer to treat the mother because her patterns of inattention were more ingrained.”  pp. 8,9.  From Getting Rid of Ritalin by Robert Hill, Ph.D. and Eduardo Castro, M.D.     In our office, we have seen families with ADD who benefited from neurofeedback.  Drs. Kelsey