Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , which affects between 2% and 5% of the child population, manifests itself with difficulties concentrating on a task, staying still, organizing and controlling impulses.
Although there are well-established genetic causes, the peculiarities of the environment where those affected grow also have a decisive influence, as statistically demonstrated by a macro-study made public at the annual convention of the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) in Vancouver (Canada).
Specifically, researchers have linked the prevalence of ADHD to nine factors: poverty, divorce, death of a parent, domestic violence, violence in the neighborhood, discrimination, mentally ill at home, drug use by family members or incarceration of loved ones. That is, with more or less traumatic experiences for the child.
They came to this conclusion after analyzing the cases of more than 65,000 individuals between the ages of 6 and 17, with ADHD and healthy. Parents were asked about the development and treatment of the ailment, if it existed, and about the circumstances that could make the environment where the children lived.
When crossing the data they saw that 17% of the diagnosed subjects had suffered four or more of the mentioned negative factors, while only 6% of the healthy children had experienced them . In addition, the parents of the patients had suffered more traumatic experiences during their childhood.
