Course and outcome of ADHD [Impact of ADHD] Economic Burden of ADHD 

Course and outcome of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [Impact of ADHD] Economic Burden of ADHD
Earlier. ADHD was concerned as a typical childhood disorder. Long-term studies though, showed that an 5-76% percentage of children with ADHD grew as adults with ADHD.
Although commonly diagnosed in childhood, ADHD can persist into adolescence and adulthood and adversely affect functional outcomes. Academic difficulties are a common problem in ADHD and are often the reason for a child’s initial referral for clinical evaluation
An 8-year longitudinal study showed that ADHD diagnosis at 4 to 6 years of age predicted lower reading, spelling, and math standardized achievement test scores in adolescence after controlling for IQ (Massetti et al., 2008). Children diagnosed with Inattentive Type ADHD in childhood had lower achievement scores in adolescence compared with either children diagnosed with Combined Type ADHD or control comparison children (Massetti et al., 2008). On average, children with ADHD earn lower grades compared with peers (Frazier et al., 2007).
Most children with this condition continue with its symptoms into adulthood. 80% of the children who require medication for ADHD will need them as teenagers. Over 50% need medication as adults.
If left untreated, ADHD can gravely interfere with the social and educational performance of an individual and may impair the individual's self-esteem. They may be looked down on as trouble makers or slow learners at school and invariably be treated as out casts. Most of them have failed relationships with colleagues or peers. They may have strained relationship with parents and siblings too.
25-30% of ADHD children with conduct disorder problem develop antisocial personality disorder and become victims of substance abuse, criminal behavior. Being prone to depression and anxiety, they have suicidal tendencies too.
Social and emotional adjustment problems may be persistent. Poor acceptance by peers and loneliness tend to increase with age and with the obvious display of symptoms. Substance abuse may result if ADHD is not identified and adequately treated because many adolescents and adults with ADHD self-medicate with both legal (eg, caffeine) and illegal (eg, cocaine, amphetamines) substances.
Although hyperactivity symptoms and signs tend to diminish with age, adolescents and adults may display residual difficulties. Predictors of adult ADHD include
- Severe ADHD
- comorbid ODD / conduct disorder
- Comorbid depression
- Poor compliance to treatment
To conclude - Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders of childhood and adolescence, often persists into adulthood. Studies have found that a majority of people diagnosed with ADHD in childhood continue to meet criteria for the disorder as adults. More recent studies have found that a substantial proportion of those with adult ADHD did not have the condition in childhood. ADHD in adulthood is associated with significant impairment in occupational, academic, and social functioning