Studies have estimated that as many as 4.4% or adults have some degree of Attention Deficit Disorder. Studies and statistics have shown that ADD sufferers can have difficulty holding a long term, steady job and tend to be lower academic achievers.

Attention deficit disorder, or ADD, is caused by problems in the brain’s dopamine neurotransmitter systems. Some have suggested that it can be caused by poor diet but this theory has been disproven. Neither is ADD the result of parental influence or bad parenting. The truth is that most cases of ADD are actually inherited. A child is 30% more likely to exhibit the symptoms of ADD if a parent or close family member has the condition.

During childhood the symptoms of ADD can be very clear. Children are known to develop through three distinct stages. The first takes place when they are babies and they start to focus on an object such as a rattle or a mobile. The object will engage their focus for a limited period of time.

The second stage takes place during toddlerhood when they are continuously shifting their interest from one thing to another. A child that continues to exhibit this type of behavior may be diagnosed as having ADD.

It’s the during the third stage that children develop the ability to focus for longer periods of time and to shift that focus at will. This ability is precisely what is required in the classroom.

One of the key aspects of ADD is not only that sufferers can’t focus on something for very long. ADD sufferers lack the ability to choose what they focus upon and what attracts their attention. This can become very apparent when undertaking a routine task like crossing the road. They may not be able to wait patiently, instead being distracted by anything else around them.

The ADD sufferers brain doesn’t release enough neuro chemicals so they find themselves looking around for more stimulus. For ADD sufferers this is a reflex reaction over which they have no control.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hopefully these notes will have provided some insight into what underpins Attention Deficit Disorder. There are many forms of treatment including drugs, but one effective therapy involves a lot of outdoor activity. Bushcraft courses can be a great way to learn about the outdoors at any time of year. Just make sure you are wrapped up in some warm outdoor clothing and you take along a good sleeping bag.