ADHD: misunderstood, underdiagnosed and treatable

According to data released in May by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in nine children in the U.S. has been diagnosed with ADHD/hyperactivity. More than 8% of college students also have ADHD, and they often struggle in silence: distracted during lectures, unable to complete assignments on time, slow to make friends. The condition can even cause them to forget to take the ADHD medications that could help them.

Andrea Chronis-Tuscano, Joel and Kim Feller Endowed Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland and president of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology of the American Psychological Association, is an expert on this chronic neurodevelopmental disorder, characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity and/or emotional dysregulation.

She co-directs the SUCCEEDS College ADHD Clinic with Assistant Clinical Director Erin Jones UMD and focuses her research on understanding early predictors of developmental outcomes in children with ADHD; she is also working on treatments that target these early risk and protective factors to improve the lives of people with ADHD, which includes 4.4% of adults.

October marks Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Awareness Month, and Chronis-Tuscano shared a few key points about the disorder that everyone should know:

ADHD is easily treatable

“We all know people with ADHD who have learned to deal with it, found their feet and are doing very well,” she said. “That’s one of the most promising things about ADHD.”

Treatments may include behavioral and cognitive behavioral therapy, organizational skills training, and stimulant medication. Chronis-Tuscano recommended talking to a primary care physician or pediatrician as the first step toward diagnosis and treatment.

“We’re having more conversations than ever about ADHD and youth mental health,” she said. “This open dialogue is very important if we want to reduce mental health stigma and increase access to treatment.”

Left untreated, ADHD can have devastating consequences

The public seriously underestimates the impact that untreated ADHD can have on individuals, families and society, Chronis-Tuscano said.

ADHD can lead to depression, suicide, substance use, dropping out of school and incarceration. People with the condition have a reduced life expectancy by 10 to 15 years, due to its physical and mental health effects, she said.

She refuted the idea that ADHD is overdiagnosed or even an excuse for being forgetful or unmotivated. “We need to take ADHD seriously because the consequences can be devastating.”

There are differences and barriers to ADHD treatments

Chronis-Tuscano noted that not everyone has access to a primary care physician or pediatrician where they can take the first steps toward a diagnosis or treatment for themselves or their child. Many schools are under-resourced and unable to provide timely evaluation or accommodations to students who are struggling.

Socioeconomic factors, such as a lack of access to transportation or insurance coverage, can also create a barrier for people seeking ADHD support and treatment programs. Another obstacle can be stigma.

“People don’t always want to tell the school or their employer, they don’t want the label,” she said. “As a result, they may not get the support they need.”

More research and flexibility are also needed when it comes to understanding ADHD in girls and women, Chronis-Tuscano said, noting that many symptoms and “red flags” that doctors look for to diagnose the disorder are in the psychiatric literature has been described with boys and men in mind. . It is therefore more likely that parents, teachers, caregivers and doctors will draw up a diagnosis and treatment plan for them than for girls and women with the disorder.

“Some people don’t think ADHD is that big of a problem,” Chronis-Tuscano said. “But it is linked to so many important outcomes: mental health and wellbeing, educational attainment, financial independence… so many people are affected by it.”