Just 10% of kids with ADHD outgrow it, study finds
Researchers said that attention deficit hyperactive disorder waxes and
wanes over a lifetime

Date:
August 13, 2021
Source:
University of Washington School of Medicine/UW Medicine
Summary:
Most children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder
(ADHD) don't outgrow the disorder, as widely thought. It manifests
itself in adulthood in different ways and waxes and wanes over a
lifetime, according to a new study.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
Most children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) don't outgrow the disorder, as widely thought. It manifests itself in
adulthood in different ways and waxes and wanes over a lifetime, according
to a study published Aug.13 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.


========================================================================== "It's important for people diagnosed with ADHD to understand that it's
normal to have times in your life where things maybe more unmanageable
and other times when things feel more under control," said lead researcher Margaret Sibley, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences
at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a researcher at
Seattle Children's Research Institute.

Study authors from 16 institutions in the United States, Canada, and
Brazil said decades of research characterize ADHD as a neurobiological
disorder typically first detected in childhood that persists into
adulthood in approximately 50% of cases. But this study found just 10%
of children completely outgrow it.

"Although intermittent periods of remission can be expected in most
cases, 90% of children with ADHD in the Multimodal Treatment Study of
ADHD continued to experience residual symptoms into young adulthood,"
they wrote.

ADHD is characterized by two main cluster of symptoms, according
to researchers. The inattentive symptoms look like disorganization, forgetfulness, and having trouble staying on task. Then there are also
the hyperactive, impulsive symptoms. In children, those symptoms look
like having a lot of energy, such as running around and climbing on
things. In adults, it manifests more as verbal impulsivity, difficulty
with decision-making, and not thinking before acting. The disorder
affects people differently and looks different depending on what phase
of life someone's in.

Some people with ADHD also report a unique ability to hyper-focus. Olympic athletes Michael Phelps and Simone Biles have been open about their
ADHD diagnosis.



========================================================================== While many people may experience symptoms similar to ADHD, it is estimated
the disorder roughly affects 5% to 10% of the population, said Sibley.

16 years of research This study followed a group of 558 children with
ADHD for 16 years -- from 8- years old to 25 years-old. The cohort
had eight assessments, every two years, to determine whether they had
symptoms of ADHD. The researchers also asked their family members and
teachers about their symptoms.

Sibley said the belief that 50% of children outgrow ADHD was first put
forward in the mid-1990s. Most studies, she said, only re-connected with
the kids one time in adulthood. So, researchers didn't get to see that
the ADHD that they thought had gone away actually does come back.

Coping with ADHD Researchers have yet to find what causes ADHD to
flare. Sibley said it could be stress, the wrong environment, and not
having a healthy lifestyle of proper sleep, healthy eating, and regular exercise. Also, if a person is not taking the time to manage symptoms
and really understand what works best for them, then the symptoms are
probably going to get more out of control, she said.



========================================================================== Medication and therapy are the two main treatment for ADHD. But, Sibley
said, people can pursue their own healthy coping skills as well.

Researchers found that most people who technically no longer meet
criteria for ADHD in adulthood still have some traces of ADHD, but they
were managing well on their own.

"The key is finding a job or a life passion that ADHD does not interfere
with," Sibley said. "You are going to see a lot of creative people have
ADHD because they're able to be successful in their creative endeavors
despite having ADHD, whereas people who might be required to do very detail-oriented work at a computer all day -- that could be a really
hard combination for a person with ADHD." Sibley said the time to
seek professional help is when the symptoms are causing a problem in
your life. This includes not performing your best, problems with other
people, having a hard time getting along, difficulty maintaining healthy, long-term relationships with loved ones and friends, and inability to
complete basic daily tasks -- whether that's parenting, staying on top
of your finances, or just keeping an organized household.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Washington_School_of_Medicine/UW_Medicine.

Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Margaret H. Sibley, L. Eugene Arnold, James M. Swanson, Lily
T. Hechtman,
Traci M. Kennedy, Elizabeth Owens, Brooke S.G. Molina, Peter
S. Jensen, Stephen P. Hinshaw, Arunima Roy, Andrea Chronis-Tuscano,
Jeffrey H.

Newcorn, Luis A. Rohde. Variable Patterns of Remission From
ADHD in the Multimodal Treatment Study of ADHD. American
Journal of Psychiatry, 2021; appi.ajp.2021.2 DOI:
10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21010032 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210813100258.htm

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