ADHD In Children Can Have Serious Repercussions Later In Life
ADHD In Children Can Have Serious Repercussions Later In Life
A recent study showed that close to 30 percent of children that have ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder continue to have problems with it when they are adults and for some, it even leads to suicide, depression and other mental health issues.
Lead researched William Barbaresi, MD for Boston Children’s Hospital said that people, most often parents have the wrong idea about ADHD. They think it is a phase or a insignificant childhood disorder that their children will eventually grow out of.
He said that this way of thinking is antiquated an that ADHD is a serious condition that needs to have a chronic disease approach that is designed to offer care “for the long haul”, an approach similar to that of diabetes.
The study was conducted on nearly 6000 adults that were separated into two groups. The first consisted of people who suffered from ADHD as children while the other group was made out of people who never had the condition and was made to serve as a comparison.
From 367 study participants that had the condition as children, 232 were followed up to adulthood at the age of 27. It was concluded that nearly 30 percent had adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
Other data gathered by researchers showed that close to 57 percent of adults that suffered from the condition as children had another type of mental disease as adults, compared to only 35 percent of adults who didn't have the affliction.
Some of the most common mental health disorders were substance abuse, mania, depression, a major form of anxiety and a general antisocial personality disorder.
Another rather shocking result was related to suicide, with rates being about five times higher for people who had a form of ADHD. Of the 367 adults that had childhood ADHD 1.9 percent or seven adults died, three of which committed suicide, a much higher rate compared to the group who didn't suffer from the affliction out of which only 0.7 percent died.
Researchers suggested that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder should no longer be viewed as a disorder that affects the way children learn and should be treated as a major health problem that increases the risk of death, causes social problems and criminal behavior.
The researchers hope that the study will bring about a much needed discussion about the way that ADHD sufferers are treated and the changes in attitude regarding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, changes that need to happen to prevent a large segment of people from having serious mental health problems as adults.
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