My son has ADHD. While I personally believe ADHD is widely over-diagnosed and over-medicated, it is real and, in some cases, medication is necessary. By and large, my son's symptoms are under control. He's old enough to understand the condition and he does a great job of managing his behavior and recognizing how he's feeling. But he has a tough time in the mornings -- he has more energy than his little body can handle at that time of day.

Healthology has a great primer on ADHD (the video doesn't seem to be working as of the time I'm publishing this post, however) that answers many of the common questions about the disorder. ADHD can be caused by a number of factors including exposure to lead, prematurity, complications during labor and delivery, pre-natal exposure to alcohol, and even some infectious diseases. Some recent studies have suggested that genetics may also play a role in ADHD. However, ADHD is not caused by too much sugar, bad parenting, or a lack of discipline.

As a parent of a child with ADHD, I found the article's information about how ADHD negatively effects self-esteem particularly helpful. According to the article, children with ADHD often feel frustrated and feel they can't do anything right. Early diagnosis, intervention, and helping a child to understand the disorder is so important.