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From the Kiddie Pool to the Water Cooler
Do Child ADD/ADHD problems carry into adulthood?
Misperceptions still surround ADD/ADHD, with most of the population believing that the disorders affect only children.
While the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that between 3 percent and 5 percent of children in the United States has ADD/ADHD, medical experts are still debating the number of adults that actually outgrow symptoms by the time they reach adulthood.
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While symptoms may decline significantly with age as the brain matures and develops, it is estimated that between 30 to 70 percent of children with a disorder will continue to have symptoms later into life.
Not properly addressing the disorder early on in childhood can cause severely negative effects on development, as the child matures into the adolescent years. Impulsive and hyperactive behaviors associated with ADD/ADHD can lead to risky behavior with life-long consequences resulting in moderate to severe harm or even death to themselves and others -- including drug and alcohol abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, violence, and development of anti-social personalities.
Furthering the concept that destructive behavior from untreated ADD/ADHD individuals can negatively affect others, studies performed at the Medical University of South Carolina show that teens and adults with ADHD have 2 to 3 times more auto accidents and twice the number of severe accidents resulting in vehicle damage and bodily injury versus peers without the disorder. This can be attributed to coordination deficits, less skill in vehicular maneuverability in traffic, slower reaction times, and inattention.
When a child or adolescent suffers from only the inattentive symptoms of the disorder, the effects can still have very detrimental effects on advancement, as well. Poor performance in school transcends into the workplace, with adults in the office struggling to conquer the concentration problems that plagued them previously in the classroom.
Teens and adults with the disorder are much more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety as a result of this rejection and the difficulties ADD/ADHD has on both personal and professional relationships. Sufferers have much higher rates of divorce and termination of employment as a result of their behavioral interactions.
While depression and anxiety can sometimes be nipped in the bud with early treatment, often the root of the emotional pain in ADD/ADHD suffers runs quite deep, as sufferers have often been repeatedly told that their efforts were sub par... when in fact, it was actually the disorder holding them back.
However, the disruption to self esteem can lead to difficulties in continuing education, holding work, and establishing healthy relationships... potentially even leading to social anxiety.
Luckily, by tackling ADD/ADHD problems early, many negative behaviors and stress from difficulties can be averted or alleviated, allowing a teen to mature into a fully-functioning adult.
Natural remedies can provide support for many of the aforementioned conditions, from mood, emotional, and sleep support to actually controlling symptoms of ADD/ADHD to allow for less interference in school, work, and subsequent relationships.
With ADD/ADHD, no single treatment is the answer for everyone. Each individual's needs and personal history must be carefully considered, and it is important to work with a health care professional/psychologist to determine the safest treatment. In addition, always consider a holistic approach to health, including diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors.
With summer approaching, consider planning for some quality time with your children to discuss any concerns you may have, and work together to help them adopt and embrace these suggested changes in a positive, non-condescending manner. Be sure to check out our complete ADD/ADHD summer survival guide, full of expert advice from our Clinical Psychologist Michele Carelse.
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