While heredity is certainly among the causes of ADHD, not everyone with the genetic predisposition to the disorder will necessarily it. For ADHD to occur, the child must meet certain environmental triggers that will set off the disorder. Among these such environmental triggers are head injuries and minor brain trauma in early childhood.
The relationship between head injury and ADHD is a rather compelling one. Early research has shown that very young children who sustained head trauma often meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in two years - even if they did not have ADHD prior to the injury. Spurred by these findings, a study published in the British Medical Journal investigated if there is a relationship between head injuries and childhood ADHD. The research team collected data from 62,088 children and divided them into two groups - children who had head, burns, or scald injuries before they reached the age of 2, and children who were injury-free. They discovered that those who received head injuries in early childhood are 90% more likely to get diagnosed with ADHD before they turned 10.
For these reasons, it is important for your child to receive an annual check-up or exam if he or she sustained any head injuries in childhood. Prevention can go a long way too. Here are some ways to protect your infant or child from head trauma:
Never leave a baby alone on raised surfaces like beds, changing tables, or chairs. If you have to leave the baby unattended, place him or her on the floor, in a crib, or in a playpen.
Child-proof your home thoroughly - install window guards, place a safety gate near stairs and doors, and get rid of furniture with sharp edges in the play area. If there's a playground at home, make sure there are shock-absorbing surfaces like sand or rubber mats under the playground equipment.
In the car, make sure your child is properly buckled up. Always use a child safety seat or seat belt.
Your children should always wear appropriate headgear and other safety equipment when skating, riding a bike, skiing, or playing contact sports.
Make sure your child takes it easy when recovering from a head injury. No sports or rough play until the injury has healed completely. Not only will it take longer for the brain to heal if it gets re-injured so soon, but every injury does additional damage.
Dr. Yannick Pauli is an expert on natural approaches to ADHD and the author of the popular self-help home-program The Unritalin Solution. He is Director of the Centre Neurofit in Lausanne, Switzerland and has a passion taking care of children with ADHD. Click on the link for more great information about what is ADHD.
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