According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 6.1 million children aged 2-17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD in the United States, (CDC, 2021). ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, there is a large number of people in the US who have this disorder, and not a lot of Americans are informed about what ADHD is what it means to have this disorder, and other factors that can come with it. In this report, I will be discussing the prevalence of ADHD in the US, mortality rates, risk factors for complications, and methods of treatment.
Prevalence
ADHD is not contagious, and no one can really decide whether they can or cannot get ADHD. ADHD diagnosed in children is more prevalent in boys than in girls, (Danielson et al., 2016). It is not something that can be prevented since it is genetic, even then it is not 100% certain that a person who has someone in their family with ADHD can inherit it themselves, or it could have been caused by possible drug use or alcohol consumption during pregnancy as that can increase the chances of developing ADHD. If it is by genetics it will be in their bloodline and can be passed down to their offspring but it does not mean they themselves will have ADHD. However, it does mean they have a higher chance of being diagnosed with ADHD or their offspring. There is no way to prevent this disorder other than decreasing the risk of children developing ADHD when they are in the womb by not using drugs or drinking alcohol. Many people have different types of ADHD and not everyone who is diagnosed with ADHD looks or behaves the same.
Mortality Rates
There is more to ADHD than what most people know about, people who are diagnosed with ADHD are at risk when they have limited education as this plays a role in life expectancy. People who are diagnosed with ADHD are increased when diagnosed in adulthood rather than in adolescence, but women still had a higher mortality rate when diagnosed in adulthood and childhood compared to men which was lower, (Dalsgaard et al. 2015). Also, those who are diagnosed with ADHD are more likely to use nicotine, alcohol, and marijuana. The use of these stimulants makes people who are diagnosed with ADHD feel more at ease or gives them a calming sensation since many people who have ADHD have trouble concentrating and focusing or if they have behavioral issues. With this they have an increased chance to use nicotine, drugs, and alcohol that can lead to health complications such as liver failure, lung cancer, etc., and that increases the risk of disease and it shortens their life expectancy.
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Risk factors for complications
Although it may not occur to some people that having ADHD comes with more complications than behavioral issues. People who are diagnosed with ADHD face risk factors such as “antisocial behavior, learning disabilities, drug abuse, impaired academic performance, impaired executive functions, communication disorders, speech problems, and comorbid psychiatric disorders”, (Javad et al., 2013). These risk factors contribute to complications that people with ADHD can face for instance having speech problems. Having speech problems at an early age can have complications for them as they are not able to communicate what they want or express their needs clearly to their parent. Behavior issues can actually lead to drug use which can turn into drug abuse, which can lead to health complications later on in their life.
Method of Treatment
Treatment that is being used for ADHD is behavior training and medications. Behavior training includes training for the parents as well, which helps children control their behavior, (Healy, 2016). One treatment for ADHD includes therapy, medications are not the only way to treat ADHD. One type of treatment for ADHD is behavioral therapy, which focuses on unhealthy behaviors to help with mental discomfort. There is also behavioral parent training that involves the parents being provided with instructions on how they should interact with their child but mostly used with children and may not be effective on teenagers. They are taught how to praise the child, help them learn skills, give them dedicated attention set appropriate behaviors, and focus on relationship-building skills. Different treatments for ADHD involve medications such as Adderall and Ritalin which are the most common medications for ADHD.
Conclusion
Overall, ADHD in the US should not be ignored since many children in the US have been diagnosed with this disorder and many people know one person or know of a person who has ADHD. Being diagnosed with ADHD can lead to complications in a person’s life and it is better to be informed about ADHD and how to interact with people with this disorder rather than treating them as if they are different when they are not. It is important for parents to seek therapy for their children who are diagnosed with ADHD and to also have therapy for themselves so they can learn how to interact with their children and give them the attention they need. Adults can also seek therapy and/or take medications if they wish to do so. The complications that can come with ADHD are alarming so I think it is important for there to be resources to help people with ADHD to help overcome possible complications and work with them.
References
- Dalsgaard S,Østergaard SD,Leckman JF,Mortensen PB,Pedersen MG. (2015, May 30). Mortality in children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide cohort study. Lancet (London, England). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25726514/.
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