Many children who have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) also face trauma such as divorce, poverty, substance abuse by family members, and neighborhood violence, says a study announced by the American Academy of Pediatrics. People with ADHD struggle with concentration, impulsivity, and hyperactivity.
The study was presented to the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada.
“Our findings suggest that children with ADHD experience significantly higher rates of trauma than those without ADHD,” said lead author Nicole M. Brown, MD, MPH, MHS, FAAP. “Providers may focus on ADHD as the primary diagnosis and overlook the possible presence of a trauma history which may impact treatment.”
The researchers analyzed data from the 2011 National Survey of Children’s Health. Approximately 12 percent of the children were diagnosed with ADHD. Parents of 65,680 children ages six to 17 years answered questions regarding their children’s ADHD diagnosis, the severity of their condition, and medication use as well as nine traumatic childhood experiences: divorce, death of a parent/guardian, discrimination, domestic violence, familial mental illness, incarceration, neighborhood violence, poverty, and substance abuse.
Study findings:
17 percent of children with ADHD experienced four or more adverse events compared to 6 percent of children without ADHD
Children who are dealing with four or more traumatic events were nearly three times more likely to use ADHD medications compared to children with three or fewer adverse experiences
Children who have had four or more traumatic experiences were also more likely to have their parents rate their ADHD level as moderate to severe compared to children with three or fewer adverse occurences
“Knowledge about the prevalence and types of adverse experiences among children diagnosed with ADHD may guide efforts to address trauma in this population and improve ADHD screening, diagnostic accuracy, and management,” said Dr. Brown, assistant professor of pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics, The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York.
“Pediatric providers should consider screening for adverse childhood experiences in children who they suspect may have ADHD and/or those who carry the diagnosis, and initiate evidence-based treatment/intervention plans for children who screen positive for ACEs (adverse childhood experiences),” said Dr. Brown.
