Virtual Care for ADHD in Teens and Children

ADHD Symptoms and Diagnosis:

The symptoms of ADHD vary depending on the subtype, but they typically manifest before the age of 12 and persist into adolescence and adulthood. Common symptoms include:

• Inattention: Difficulty sustaining attention, being easily distracted, making careless mistakes, being forgetful, struggling with organization, and frequently losing or misplacing items.

• Hyperactivity: Constant restlessness, fidgeting, excessive talking, difficulty remaining seated, excessive physical activity, and feeling an internal sense of restlessness.

• Impulsivity: Acting without considering consequences, interrupting others, difficulty waiting for turns, blurting out answers, and engaging in risky behavior without thinking.

To diagnose ADHD, healthcare professionals typically assess the presence and severity of symptoms, consider their impact on various settings (e.g., home, school), and rule out other possible causes of the symptoms. Evaluation may involve interviews, rating scales, observations, and reports from parents, teachers, and caregivers.

ADHD Causes and Risk Factors:

The exact causes of ADHD are not fully understood, but several factors can contribute to its development, including:

• Genetics: ADHD tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic component. Research indicates that certain genes involved in brain development and neurotransmitter regulation may play a role.

• Brain Structure and Function: Differences in the structure and functioning of certain brain regions, particularly those involved in attention and impulse control, have been observed in individuals with ADHD.

• Environmental Factors: Prenatal exposure to substances like tobacco smoke, alcohol, or drugs, as well as premature birth, low birth weight, and lead exposure, may increase the risk of developing ADHD.

• Neurotransmitter Imbalance: An imbalance in certain neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, which regulate attention and impulse control, may contribute to ADHD.

• Psychosocial Factors: Adverse psychosocial factors, including family stress, parenting style, and socioeconomic disadvantage, may impact the severity and course of ADHD symptoms.

ADHD Treatment and Support:

Treatment for ADHD often involves a multimodal approach tailored to the individual's needs and may include:

• Behavioral Interventions: Behavioral interventions, such as behavior therapy or parent training, focus on teaching strategies to manage symptoms, improve organization and time management, enhance communication skills, and promote positive behaviors.

• Partial Hospitalization Programs: Partial programs can be an effective diversion from inpatient care and to support discharge (step down) from inpatient treatment. They incorporate telehealth into their program which allows patients to participate in the program while living safely at home. It makes it easy for families to play an active role in their teenager’s care.

• Intensive Outpatient Programs: IOPs are ideal for adolescents who need more care than weekly outpatient appointments can provide. The IOP aims to help participants work on emotional and behavioral issues and prevent the need for higher levels of care.

• Medication Management: Medication management, particularly the use of stimulant medications, can be an effective treatment approach for teenagers with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).