The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution: Book Excerpt
by Marcia Zimmerman, C.N.
The following is an excerpt from the book: The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution: A Drug-Free 30-Day Plan by Marcia Zimmerman, C.N.
Published by Owl Books/Henry Holt Chapter 1: Do I or My Child Have An Attention Deficit Disorder What are attention deficits exactly and how do you know if you are suffering from them? These are the first questions we must address before discussing treatment of ADD. To do so, let's take a quick look at the history of this condition and the evolution of its definition and diagnosis.
Attention deficits have evolved over the years in the terminology used and the classification of the symptoms. The latest revisions to the disorders are defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, or DSM IV. Currently all attention deficits are grouped under the designation AD/HD or attention deficit/hyperactive disorder. Two main categories of AD/HD are defined, AD/HD predominantly inattentive and AD/HD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive. A third category is considered, AD/HD-combined, that is, a combination of inattentive and hyperactive or impulsive types. For all three types, the condition must have persisted for at least six months, and have occurred before the age of seven, in order to be identified as a true attention deficit disorder. The adult condition is diagnosed by examining childhood history, interviewing parents and others who knew the individual as a child, plus evaluating the adult symptoms.
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