A finnish study that followed 457 children, both with ADHD and without the diagnosis, from birth to age 16 to 18 has found that kids with hyperactive/impulsive type ADHD (those who can't sit still) are likely to see fewer and fewer symptoms as they mature. Those with inattentive type ADHD, on the other hand, may continue to struggle with the disorder throughout their lifetime.
The continuation of symptoms in teens and young adults with inattentive type ADHD is even more likely when those adolescents also suffer from a comorbid condition like depression, or anxiety. And those children diagnosed with combined type ADHD, having symptoms of both hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention, had the highest rates of adult ADHD out of all the children in the study.
These results were compounded by the finding that, by the time they reach their late teens, children who receive medication for inattention symptoms and those who don't fare about the same.
The study leads to questions about treatment for children diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD, including whether strengthening cognitive weaknesses may be more effective than medication to treat behavioral problems.
Print
