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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffADHD can make life difficult for children. Children with ADHD:
- Often struggle in the classroom, which can lead to academic failure and judgment by other children and adults
- Tend to have more accidents and injuries of all kinds than do children who don't have the disorder
- Are more likely to have trouble interacting with peers and adults
- Are at increased risk of alcohol and drug abuse and other delinquent behavior
Coexisting conditions
ADHD doesn't cause other psychological or developmental problems. However, children with ADHD are more likely than are other children to also have conditions such as:
- Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). This condition is generally defined as a pattern of negative, defiant and hostile behavior toward authority figures.
- Conduct disorder. A more serious condition than ODD, conduct disorder is marked by antisocial behavior such as stealing, fighting, destroying property and harming people or animals.
- Depression and bipolar disorder. Depression frequently occurs in children with ADHD. Some children may have bipolar disorder, which includes depression as well as manic behavior.
- Anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders tend to occur fairly often in children with ADHD and may cause overwhelming worry, nervousness and worsening of ADHD symptoms. Once anxiety is treated and under control, children are better able to deal with the symptoms of ADHD.
- Learning disabilities. Learning disabilities are common in children with ADHD. However, gifted learners also may have ADHD. Children with both ADHD and learning disabilities may need extra attention in the classroom or special education services.
- Tourette syndrome. Many children with ADHD also have Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by compulsive muscle or vocal tics.
References
- Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/adhd_booklet.pdf. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Rucklidge JJ. Gender differences in attention/deficit hyperactivity disorder. Psychiatric Clinics of North America. 2010;33:357.
- Clinical practice guideline: Treatment of the school-aged child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Elk Grove Village, Ill. American Academy of Pediatrics. Subcommittee on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Committee on Quality Improvement, et al. Pediatrics. 2001;108:1033.
- Rader R, et al. Current strategies in the diagnosis and treatment of childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. American Family Physician. 2009;79:657.
- Spencer T. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. In: Ebert MH, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Psychiatry. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y., McGraw Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3290305. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Wilms Floet AM, et al. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Pediatrics in Review. 2010;31:56.
- Krisanaprakornkit T, et al. Meditation therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2010:CD006507. http://www.cochrane.org/reviews. Accessed Nov. 10, 2010.
- Larzelere MM, et al. Complementary and alternative medicine usage for behavioral health indications. Primary Care Clinics. 2010;37:213.
- Swintak CC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 19, 2010.
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