Many ADHD children also face challenges such as poverty, divorce, neighborhood violence and substance abuse among family members, finds study.
"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."
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder that affects normal behavior and impairs the ability to concentrate.
Advertisement
Dr. Brown and her colleagues analyzed data from the 2011 National Survey of Children's Health. They identified 65,680 children ages 6-17 years whose parents answered questions regarding ADHD diagnosis, severity and medication use as well as nine adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): poverty, divorce, death of a parent/guardian, domestic violence, neighborhood violence, substance abuse, incarceration, familial mental illness and discrimination.
About 12 percent of the children were diagnosed with ADHD. Their parents reported a higher prevalence of all of the adverse events than parents of children without ADHD.
![Teens Using Substances at School Should be Screened for Exposure to Trauma]( "Teens Using Substances at School Should be Screened for Exposure to Trauma")
When school students are caught drinking or using marijuana at school, a trip to the dean's office may not suffice.
Parents of children with ADHD also reported a higher number of adverse childhood experiences compared to children without ADHD; 17 percent of children with ADHD had four or more ACEs compared to 6 percent of children without ADHD.
Children dealing with four or more adverse experiences were almost three times more likely to use ADHD medications compared to children with three or fewer adverse experiences. Children with four or more adverse experiences also were more likely to have a parent rate their ADHD as moderate to severe compared to children with three or fewer ACEs.
"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," she concluded.
Source: Eurekalert
Teens Using Substances at School Should be Screened for Exposure to Trauma
When school students are caught drinking or using marijuana at school, a trip to the dean's office may not suffice.
Advertisement
Parents of children with ADHD also reported a higher number of adverse childhood experiences compared to children without ADHD; 17 percent of children with ADHD had four or more ACEs compared to 6 percent of children without ADHD.
Children dealing with four or more adverse experiences were almost three times more likely to use ADHD medications compared to children with three or fewer adverse experiences. Children with four or more adverse experiences also were more likely to have a parent rate their ADHD as moderate to severe compared to children with three or fewer ACEs.
"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," she concluded.
Source: Eurekalert
Quiz on ADHD
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD, generally abbreviated as ADHD) is considered a "neurobehavioral developmental disorder". To know what this definition means and what the causes, symptoms and treatment for ADD are; give our ADHD quiz your best shot.
Advertisement
 Poverty Threatens Long-term Health of Children: StudyThe critical problem that childhood poverty presents in the U.S. - and steps to end poverty has been discussed by health experts. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Child Health News
Doctors have reported that children have been hit hard by the recent increase in flu cases, with the H3N2 virus being a significant contributing factor.
Men and women are impacted uniquely by childhood trauma: emotional trauma and sexual abuse impact women, while emotional and physical neglect impact men.
Bedsharing with infants is linked to increased duration of breastfeeding, according to the night-time feeding guidelines.
To tackle the rising cases of autism among kids, steady screening programs may make a difference in autism diagnosis and treatment.
Children with autism tend to receive vision screening less often, despite having a high risk for eye problems.