ADD/ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral childhood disorder, and the fastest growing diagnosed behavioral disorder in adults. There are currently 5.5 million children who have been diagnosed, with an additonal 1 million childhood cases and 600,000 adult cases added annually. Although diagnoses for ADHD are happening at a rapid rate, they are surrounded by controversy. Clinicians are challenged by proper diagnoses for three main reasons:
1. There are anywhere from 3 to 6 different subsets of ADHD. Symptoms of each disorder have different sets of criteria, and may occur simultaneously.
2. Over half of all children diagnosed are also suffering from at least one other behavioral disorder.
3. Several specific symptoms of ADHD match those of other syndromes, such as learning disabilities, seizures, anxiety, and/or depression.
ADHD is characterized by persistent short attention span, distractibility, disorganization, procrastination and problems with forethought, judgment and impulse control. Having “untreated” ADHD affects nearly every aspect of a person’s life, and has been associated with school underachievement, family conflict, drug abuse, and poor work performance. The standard treatment for both children and adults is a stimulant prescription medication. While this course of treatment is helpful for some, it is ineffective for others, and can even be harmful. An improper medication in the extreme case can cause the patient severe mood swings, violent outbursts, and suicidal behaviors.
The difficulty in properly diagnosing ADHD because of it's varied symptoms, as well as the possible negative effects of improper treatment, make it evident that the current pyschological diagnosis is inconsistent and lacking a complete understanding of the disorder. There is a need for a more objective tool that can assist in the evaluation of ADHD. Brain SPECT imaging can improve the course of treatment for ADHD significantly, instead of relying only on traditional clinical treatments that involve trial and error prescription medications. It's ability to capture patterns of brain activity helps distinguish symptoms, and follow-up scans can direct treatment appropriately.