Short Paper—ADHD in the Early Years: Pre-Natal and Early Causes and Alternative Ways of Dealing ADHD in the Early Years: Pre-Natal and Early Causes and Alternative Ways of Dealing https://doi.org/10.3991/ijoe.v15i13.11203 Anna-Maria Driga (*) , Athanasios Drigas N.C.S.R. “Demokritos”, Athens, Greece anna.maria.driga@gmail.com Abstract—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurological disorder with a lack of an official scientific understanding of its genetic nature and the potential causes. However, there are practical research data that points to certain directions. In this paper, we examine the possible ex- ternal causes of the disorder and specifically ones whose influence is related to pregnancy and (early) childhood years. Children born prematurely and/or with low birth weight are at high risk of developing ADHD. Maternal smoking, al- cohol consumption and psychological disorders during pregnancy were proven to play a part as well. Some special social and economic situations raised the risk of appearance in the minors experiencing them. Electronics are a factor of distraction to children and were found to exacerbate symptoms. Most important- ly, parenting choices can be determinant for a child with the disorder. A solu- tion often proposed for symptoms of this nature is medication. Nonetheless, there were many defects and risks found within the psychostimulants used for the disorder. Alternative treatments are proposed before reaching for medica- tion, two very effective ones being brain training and meditation. Keywords—ADHD, ADHD Causes, External ADHD Causes, Alternative ADHD Treatments 1 Introduction 1.1 What is ADHD? How does it work? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder, characterized by lack of attention and impulsivity. The former is a result of a dysfunc- tion in areas of the brain that control certain abilities, known as executive function. Executive skills consist of short-term memory, flexible thinking and self-regulation. Those skills set the foundation for a person’s attention, organization abilities, focusing on assignments, emotion control and self-assessment. It is one of the most common neurological disorders of the generation, especially in children. Despite that fact, so far there has been insufficient research around the topic and thus leaving gaps in the general understanding of its mechanisms. In essence, ADHD is a very complex disor- der not yet fully understood. [1] [2] iJOE ‒ Vol. 15, No. 13, 2019 95