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A Retrospective on A Teenager’s Experience Being Diagnosed and Treated for ADHD

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A Retrospective on A Teenager’s Experience Being Diagnosed and Treated for ADHD

Causes for mental disorders are very difficult to pinpoint, but the general consensus is that they are products of the interaction of genetics with the environment. Certain people who have genes that influence how the brain processes dopamine may be at increased risk for ADHD, but having the genes doesn’t necessarily mean a person will show signs of the condition. There are a number of things that parents can do or not do that alter a child’s development—and their chances of having ADHD.

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Authored by
Alexi Balenoite

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  • Cabrera said. “Exposure to toxins, such as alcohol or nicotine, in utero increases the risk for ADHD in a dose-dependent fashion.”
    Although these risk factors can increase the chances of developing ADHD, for many kids, none of these risk factors are present.

  • “These are public health concerns and also reasons supporting early intervention efforts,” Cabrera said. “In an individual family, it’s less helpful to look back than it is to work with the present.”