Is ADHD caused by bad parenting?
• Answer: There is little compelling evidence at this time that ADHD can arise purely from social factors or child-rearing methods. Most substantiated causes appear to fall in the realm of neurobiology and genetics. Causes of ADHD include: Environmental: Studies have shown a possible correlation between the use of cigarettes and alcohol during pregnancy and risk for ADHD in the offspring of that pregnancy. Another environmental agent that may be associated with a higher risk of ADHD is high levels of lead in the bodies of young preschool children. Genetics: Attention disorders often run in families, so there are likely to be genetic influences. Studies indicate that 25% of the close relatives in the families of ADHD children also have ADHD, whereas the rate is about 5% in the general population. Food Additives and Sugar: It has been suggested that attention disorders are caused by refined sugar or food additives, or that symptoms of ADHD are exacerbated by sugar or food additives. In 1
