What causes ADHD

I don't know what causes it but I have heard the same thing about it being in the autism spectrum. I have ADD myself. I cannot follow a conversation without drifting off. I am adopted but I found my birth mom and half siblings when I was 39. They suffer from the same things, depression and ADD.

i also don't know what causes ADHD... my hubby also has ADHD since he is a child and until now he still has it... so i have to struggle to be patient and understand him as much as i can... he always forget things and lost focus and whenever people talks to him, he seems not to be there... he has difficulty understanding what other people say and he can't concentrate... so i really have to support him as much as i can and remind him everything every time...

Its not made up and I am sorry that others have told you that. I don't think ADHD is in the autism spectrum as they are different but someone could be under the spectrum AND have ADHD. ADHD is a neurological disorder like autism and I have a feeling many factors can cause it. Sometimes it could be hereditary and it could be environmental factors. Either way, I am sure its very difficult to deal with. My son doesn't have ADHD but he is mildly under the autism spectrum and that has been difficult at times. But with therapy he is improving all the time.

I have a ten year old boy with ADHD. No one will ever convince me that it's a made up condition. I did a speech in college several years ago on the subject. Now, I can't remember all the technical/medical terms, but the gist of my research was this: The part of the brain that controls compulsivity, attentiveness and the other symptoms of ADHD is UNDERstimulated. The medications that control ADHD are actually stimulants to stimulate that part of the brain into proper working order. If you don't have ADHD and take those medications, you end up bouncing off the walls. The decision to put my son on medication was a tough one. Then I really thought about it. I was so stressed ALL the time, constantly having to chase after him, don't do this, don't do that, no!, stop it, settle down, behave.. you know how it goes, and I started thinking if I'm this stressed out having to holler at him like that all the time, how stressed out is he having to BE hollered at all the time? I know that putting him on the medication has made all the difference in the world as far as his school work goes. He in no way would have the attention span or the concentration to complete even a partial assignment without it. I do believe that by far, that was the best decision I've ever made concerning his condition.

I do believe that all chemicals in our food and glutamate and other stuff may make the problems worse. I've seen a lot of kids getting better after taking away artificial sweteners, glutamate and other strange things from their diet. I mean it can't be healty to eat that stuff . I also believe that some of the problems children that gets the diagnose isn't just a symptome of the "illness" it might be just a part of their personality and/or something they've learned in ther environment