Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)in Athletes

摘要

ADHD is a common neuropsychiatric disorder. Prevalence estimates range from 5-10 % of school age children and adolescents and 4-6% of adults. Recognition of ADHD pervasiveness and persistence into adolescence and adulthood has brought ADHD and its treatment to the attention of the sports medicine community. This is apparent by the recent Position Statement from the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) and a couple review articles. Simply put, ADHD is "characterized by the inability to maintain attention span and focus concentration ability at a normal developmental level." Diagnostic criteria can be found in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' (DSM-IV) but, in short, consist of the following: symptoms before age 7, symptoms present in two or more settings, symptoms that impair functioning, and six of nine symptoms in the impulsivity/hyperactivity and/or inattentive domains. ADHD is a clinical diagnosis, and there are no blood tests or imaging studies that are appropriate for diagnosis. Table 1 presents ADHD characteristics that are pertinent to the care of athletes who have been diagnosed as having the condition.