ADHD: Will my daughter be depressed and have less relationships?
The latest statistics suggest that 10% of school age children have ADHD. As A doctor that treats learning disabilities as well as ADHD and Autism spectrum disorders on a daily basis it is common to here parents say things such as ” well its only ADHD, so its not such a big deal.” At presentations that I have presented on learning disabilities and spectrum disorders, I term this low spectrum comfort. Meaning that because children with ADHD have no speech delay, tics or compulsions for example some parents are not too concerned with the issue. But in reality children with ADHD have been implicated in the past to have issues such as higher substance abuse rates, incarceration rates and pregnancy rates. A new study published in June of 2010 adds fuel to the fire with findings that late adolescent girls teens to have more issues with depression as well as relationships including with mom and boyfriends. So the message becomes more compelling, ADHD is associated with many negative social issues and therefore is a condition that should be taken seriously and addressed by parents. Whether you choose to address you child condition with the standard pharmaceutical approach or with a drugless option such as Hemispheric Integration Therapy, please take action as it appears to be a factor that a parent can take on and make a difference in your child’s life. As a side note, most children present with combinations involving ADHD, tics, OCD etc and not solely with ADHD.
J Atten Disord.2010 Jun 18. [Epub ahead of print]
Late Adolescent and Young Adult Outcomes of Girls Diagnosed With ADHD in Childhood: An Exploratory Investigation.
Babinski DE, Pelham WE Jr, Molina BS, Gnagy EM, Waschbusch DA, Yu J, Maclean MG, Wymbs BT, Sibley MH, Biswas A, Robb JA, Karch KM.
Abstract
Objective: To characterize the late adolescent and young adult outcomes of girls diagnosed with ADHD in childhood. Method: The study included 58 women from a larger longitudinal study of ADHD. A total of 34 (M = 19.97 years old) met DSM criteria for ADHD in childhood, whereas the remaining 24 (M = 19.83 years old) did not. Self- and parent-reports of psychopathology, delinquency, interpersonal relationships, academic achievement, job performance, and substance use were collected. Results: The findings suggest that girls with ADHD experience difficulties in late adolescence and young adulthood, such as more conflict with their mothers, being involved in fewer romantic relationships, and experiencing more depressive symptoms than comparison women. However, differences did not emerge in all domains, such as job performance, substance use, and self-reported ADHD symptomatology. Conclusion: The findings of this study add to the literature on the negative late adolescent and young adult outcomes associated with childhood ADHD in women. (J. of Att. Dis. 2010; XX(X) 1-XX).
PMID: 20562386 [PubMed
24. June 2010 at 10:28 am :
The positive side is these kids spin through so many thoughts that often are great ideas contributors and I’ve found to have strong leadership skills. The trick is getting them to realize when their associated strong impulsive nature will have long-lasting effects and when it negatively affects other people. I guess my biggest worry is the probability of alcohol abuse because it calms the incessant flow of thoughts which is tiring and a sedative provides relief and perhaps better social graces. I’m not sure if family alcoholism is generally co-morbid but that’s the curse for my adHHHHd child.