Psych Flashcards
Sxs of ADHD?
- manifests in children with sxs of hyperactivity, impulsivity and/or inattention
- sxs affect cognitive, academic, behavioral, emotional and social fxning
Prevalence of ADHD?
- in school age kids: 8-10% - one of the most common disorders of childhood - male to female ratio: 4:1 for predom hyperactive type 2:1 for predom inattentive type
What other comorbid psych disorders do children with ADHD have?
- oppositional defiant disorder
- conduct disorder
- depression
- anxiety disorder
- learning disabilities
Pathogenesis of ADHD?
- a genetic imbalance of catecholamine metabolism in cerebral cortex appears to play a primary role
- various eviro factors may play a secondary role: controversial
Cerebral structural and fxnl abnormalities in prefrontal structures and basal ganglia regions result in?
- impaired executive fxns (processes involved in forward planning, including abstract reasoning, mental flexibility, working memory)
- impulsivity
What are some dietary influences on ADHD?
areas of investigation:
- food additives (artificial colors, artificial flavors, preservatives)
- refined sugar intake
- food sensitivity (allergy or intolerance)
- essential fatty acid deficiency
- iron and zinc deficiency
What are some possible associations with ADHD?
- prenatal exposure to tobacco
- prematurity and low birth wt
- prenatal exposure to alcohol
- head trauma in young children
- maternal acetaminophen use??
- High correlation b/t FAS and ADHD
What ADHD sxs do most kids display from time to time?
- inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity occur to some extent in all kids
- it is the persistence, pervasiveness, and fxnl complications of the behavioral sxs that lead to dx of ADHD
Criteria for ADHD?
- be present in more than one setting (school and home)
- persist for at least 6 months
- be present b/f age of 12
- impair fxn in academic, social or occupational activities
- be excessive for developmental level of the child
- not be caused by other mental disorders
2 categories of core sxs?
- hyperactivity/impulsivity
- inattention
- each of the core sxs of ADHD has its own pattern and course of development
Sxs of hyperactivity may include?
- excessive fidgetiness (tapping hands or feet, squirming in seat)
- difficulty remaining seated when sitting is reqd (school, work)
- feelings of restlessness (adolescents) or inappropriate running around or climbing in younger children
- difficulty playing quietly
- difficult to keep up with, seeming to always be “on the go”
Sxs of impulsivity?
- excessive talking
- difficulty waiting turns
- blurting out answers too quickly
- interruption or intrusion of others
When are hyperactive sxs usually observed?
- by the time the child reaches 4 yo
- increase during the next 3-4 years, peaking in severity when the child is 7-8 years old
- older than 8:
hyperactive sxs begin to decline, by adolescent years sxs may not be noticeable to others although may feel restless or unable to settle down - impulsive sxs: usually persist throughout life
Sxs of inattention?
- failure to provide close attention to detail, careless mistakes
- difficulty maintaining attention in play, school or home activities
- seems not to listen, even when directly addressed
- fails to follow through (homework, chores)
- difficulty organizing tasks, activities, and belongings
- avoid tasks that reqr consistent mental effort
- loses objects reqd for tasks or activities (school books, sports equipment)
- easily distracted by irrelevant stimuli
- forgetfulness in routine activities (homework, chores)
Inattentive subtype of ADHD?
- children with inattentive subtype often are described as having a sluggish cognitive tempo and frequently appear to be daydreaming or “off task”
- typical presenting complaints center on cognitive and/or academic problems
- sxs of inattention typically aren’t apparent until the child is 8-9 yo and usually are lifelong problem
Sxs of ADHD may impair fxns in which 3 areas?
- academic
- social: social skills in kids with ADHD often are significantly impaired
- occupational
Eval of child with suspected ADHD?
- medical
- developmental
- educational
- psychosocial eval
What ?s should you ask the parents of child during your eval?
- how is child doing in school?
- have you or the teacher noticed any problems with learning?
- is your child happy in school?
- does your child have any behavioral problems at school or at home, or when playing with friends?
- does your child have problems completing school assignments at school or home?
Medical eval: Hx?
- prenatal exposures (tobacco, drugs, alcohol)
- perinatal complications or infections
- CNS infection
- head trauma
- recurrent otitis media
- meds
- family Hx of similar behaviors is impt b/c ADHD has a strong genetic component
Medical eval: PE?
- measurement of ht, wt, head circumference, and vital signs
- assessment of dysmorphic features and neurocutaneous abnormalities
- a complete neuro exam, including assessment of vision and hearing
- observation of child’s behavior in office setting
Developmental and behavioral assessment?
- specific info about onset, course and fxnl impact of ADHD sxs
- emotional, medical and developmental events that may provide an alternative explanation for the sxs
- developmental milestones, particularly language milestones
- school absences
- psychosocial stressors
- observation of parent-child interactions
Behavior rating scales?
- various scales have been developed to colelct structured observations of behavior
- completion of these scales by parents and teachers during dx eval helps to establish the presence of core sxs of ADHD in more than one setting
ADHD specific scales (narrow band scales) usuefulness?
- can be used to est. presence of core sxs of ADHD
- the validity of ADHD rating scales in distinguishing children with ADHD from age matched control children varies depending upon the age of the child, the scale that is used, and the informant (parent, teacher, adolescent)
Usefulness of broadband scales?
assess a variety of sxs:
- internalizing behaviors (feeling depressed, anxious, withdrawn)
- externalizing behaviors other than ADHD (aggression)
- broadband scales are not recommended to establish the presence of core sxs of AHD: they are less sensitive and specific (less than 86%) than ADHD specific scales
- help to ID coexisting conditions and narrow the differential dx