mmalabanan
A new study carried out by researchers at King’s College London has revealed that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might not appear until early adulthood in some people.
It was found that nearly 70% of the young adults with ADHD did not show signs as children and did not meet criteria for the disorder at any of the evaluations during childhood.
According to lead researcher Dr. Jessica Agnew-Blais, there were a number of factors why people developed ADHD at a later age. They believe that “late-onset” ADHD could have been masked in childhood due to protective factors including a supportive family environment. Other cases could be explained by other mental health problems.
“Although ADHD occurs in approximately four percent of adults, relatively few adults receive a diagnosis or treatment for the disorder. It is crucial that we take a developmental approach to understanding ADHD, and that the absence of a childhood diagnosis should not prevent adults with ADHD from receiving clinical attention, “ Dr. Agnew-Blais explained.
More than 3% of boys and barely 1% of girls have ADHD but there is not enough data about the extent to which the disorder persists into adulthood.
Common symptoms of ADHD include short attention span, constant fidgeting, restlessness, and being easily distracted. Many people suffering from ADHD, which is usually diagnosed between ages three to seven, have learning difficulties as well as sleep problems. Meanwhile, adults with “late-onset” ADHD have high levels of symptoms, impairment as well as other mental disorders.
Premature birth, smoking, alcohol or drug abuse during pregnancy, and simply being male are some of the potential risk factors of ADHD.
