Q&A: The Cause of Attention Deficit Disorder

Question: What causes attention deficit disorder?

Dr. Dobson Answer: It is believed to be inherited. Russell Barkley of the University of Massachusetts Medical Center estimates that 40 percent of ADD (and, by implication, ADHD) kids have a parent with similar symptoms, and 35 percent have an affected sibling. If one identical twin is affected, the chances are between 80 and 92 percent that his or her sibling will be also. ADD is two to three times more likely to be diagnosed in boys as in girls.¹⁷

The cause of ADD is unknown, but it is probably associated with subtle differences in brain structure, its neural pathways, its chemistry, its blood supply, or its electrical system. As of this writing, some interesting hypotheses are emerging, although definitive conclusions are yet to be drawn.

By Dr. James Dobson