Kids don’t outgrow ADHD

Kids don’t outgrow ADHD


For parents who have children with attention deficit hyperactive disorder, it’s been widely thought that kids will outgrow the condition. New research says that’s not so.

In fact, ADHD comes and goes while often manifesting itself well into adulthood. About 50% of those affected by ADHD as children will have it persist as they age and just 10% of kids completely outgrow it. Those are the findings by an international team of scientists led by University of Washington researchers.

The researchers followed a group of nearly 600 children for 16 years — from age 8 to 25. Every two years, the study participants were assessed for ADHD symptoms. Relatives and teachers were also asked about the participants’ symptoms.

The recent study goes far beyond those done in the 1990s, when the idea that ADHD wanes with age in 50% of children became widely accepted. But the earlier studies had a crucial limitation: Most of them only reconnected with the subjects once in adulthood. That meant researchers couldn’t get a full understanding that ADHD had re-emerged in some people.

So what exactly causes ADHD to flare up again? Researchers don’t know for sure but suspect it could be due to stress or poor eating, exercise or sleep habits. The researchers also noted that not managing symptoms and not understanding what works best for an individual may also play a role in ADHD symptoms becoming worse.

Therapy and medication are the primary treatments for ADHD but other coping skills may help. The scientists have this advice: Find a hobby or job that isn’t negatively affected by ADHD. And know your limits: Seek help when the symptoms are affecting your life.

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