Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) : A Case Report
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) : A Case Report
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd) : A Case Report
Case Medical College Journal Nepal Med Coll J 2018; 20(1-3): 106-108
1
Child and Adolescence Psychiatry OPD, Kanti Children’s Hospital, Maharajgunj, 2Central Department of Psychology,
Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal
ABSTRACT
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuro-developmental disorder. It is one of the most common
presentations in child guidance clinic which needs prolonged treatment and management to improve quality of
life and may become very costly. ADHD is a major public health concern as it has marked long-term impairment
on academic performance, vocational success and social-emotional development which have a profound impact
on individuals, families, schools and society. In this paper, a case of ADHD is presented.
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and CD with ADHD a further 491,500, respectively. 11 The case of ADHD presented in this report was diagnosed
These altogether accounted for 0.80% of global YLDs after a full clinical and psychosocial assessment of
and 0.25% of global DALYs.11 Like other psychological the child as well as parents. A full developmental and
disorders, ADHD is also caused by a multitude of psychiatric history, observer reports and assessment
factors, including biological, psychological and social of the child’s mental state were considered. Though
factors. Many study findings show that ADHD runs in ADHD cases are rare, it is a highly problematic case
families with greater frequency than in the general involving not only patients (person) concerned but
population. ADHD is one of the more highly heritable also the family, educational institutions and society
psychiatric disorders in which heritability rates of as whole. Therefore, people with ADHD should be
around 80% have been consistently documented.12 diagnosed properly and the diagnosed person must
Structural imaging studies showed that brains of get a comprehensive, holistic shared treatment
children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder addressing psychological, behavioral and occupational
are significantly smaller than unaffected controls.13 or educational needs to improve their quality of life.
The prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia and cerebellum are
differentially affected and evidence indicating reduced
connectivity in white matter tracts in key brain areas is
emerging.13 The maternal environment might increase
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
the risk for ADHD. Previous study findings have showed
Prof. Dr. Annika Melinder, Oslo University, Norway
that smoking during pregnancy, low birth weight and
kindly support in making this case report. This case
maternal mental health, preschool children exposed to
report is the part of PhD Fellowship and the research
high levels of lead are the reasons for increasing the risk
supported by PhD Fellowship grant (No. PhD/73-74/H &
for ADHD.14 On parents’ evaluation, birth rank among
S09) of University Grants Commission of Nepal.
siblings, mother’s education, exposure of aggressive
television programs were found as the causes of
ADHD.15 Fatal exposure of teratogen substances like
nicotine or alcohol, reportedly increases the risk of
developing ADHD.16
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