We know that ADHD can be diagnosed in children and can continue its symptoms into the teenage years and right into adulthood. A new and long term study conducted by a research group from the Children and Adults with ADHD or CHADD which involved 551 teens diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder came out with their findings that these teens tend to carry with them an array of serious difficulties including physical and mental health issues, finances and work-related problems, as they grow older. This could be the longest study conducted to monitor and determine the later impact of ADHD as the teens were followed and monitored when they were 14 to 16 years of age until they reached the age of 37.

A study researcher David W. Brook, MD, a New York University School of Medicine psychiatry professor explained that an estimated 40 percent of children with ADHD continued to manifest symptoms into adolescence and adulthood. He further went on to explain that teens with ADHD suffer the long-lasting effects of the disorder and they manifest difficulty in adjusting to the pressures of life in terms of parenthood, being a worker and wage earner.

The researchers involved in the study evaluated the teens development from being adolescents until they become adults in terms of work performance, concerns over finances including their physical and mental health. Their findings showed that teens and young adults with ADHD:

• Were more prone to have problems on their physical health, twice more than those without ADHD
• Showed the likelihood of having antisocial personality disorder, more than 5 times compared to those without the disorder
• Were more likely to have mental health issues, twice more than those without ADHD
• Manifested having impaired work performance, twice more than those without the disorder
• Were likely to experience financial stress, three times more than those without ADHD

These findings came as no surprise, according to the CEO of CHADD, Ruth Hughes, PhD. She agreed on the importance of early intervention in order to allow children to help cope with life’s difficulties. Parents are therefore instrumental in providing their children with early treatment.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/12/31/many-adhd-teens-carry-problems-into-adulthood/49865.html