The Costs of Not Treating ADHD: The Hidden Toll on Families
Although many children with ADHD experience a general diminishing of symptoms like hyperactivity as they approach adulthood, 50-60% of children with ADHD will still meet the full criteria for ADHD as adults and will continue to have significant problems with attention and impulsivity. Most children with ADHD will grow into adults with ADHD.
| Childhood ADHD | Adulthood ADHD | |
| Social failure, Underachievement | Becomes » |
Job failure, Unemployment |
| Multiple injuries | Becomes » |
Fatal car wrecks, Risk taking, Accidental injuries |
| Drug Experimentation | Becomes » |
Drug dependence |
| ODD/CD | Becomes » |
ASPD, Criminal involvement |
| Impulsivity, carelessness | Becomes » |
Unwanted pregnancy, STD’s, reckless driving, legal problems |
| Repetitive failure | Becomes » |
Hopelessness, frustration, depression |
Many studies have looked into the personal and financial costs associated with untreated ADHD. The results are often troubling in terms of the consequences.
Sexual Behavior and ADHD
In a longitudinal follow-up study (Milwaukee Study) of young adults with ADHD, the following statistics emerged indicating the effects of untreated ADHD in terms of impulsivity and carelessness:
- On average, young adults with ADHD reported their first sexual experiences at an earlier age compared to their non-ADHD peers. (15 years old vs. 16)
- On average, young adults with ADHD had more sexual partners compared with their non-ADHD peers. (19 vs. 7)
- Young women with ADHD reported 34% higher rates of pregnancy.
- Young adults with ADHD reported a 13% greater incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and a 33% higher incidence of testing positive for HIV.
Accidents and Injury
In general, people with ADHD experience greater rates of injury due to increased impulsivity and the impairment of executive functioning associated with ADHD. The executive or controlling functions of the brain are essential to juggling tasks, independence, organization, and planning. As a child moves from late childhood into adulthood, executive functions become more and more important to daily life and long-term success. If executive functioning becomes inhibited by ADHD it can have a significant effect on health. Studies provide further examples of how ADHD can impact health:
- Adolescents with ADHD have 4x as many serious injuries and 3x as many motor vehicle accidents than those without ADHD or those with ADHD that take medication.
- A 9-year study of medical utilization shows that persons with ADHD have more than double the cost of care as compared with controls.
References
Barkley et al. Pediatrics. 1993; 92:212
Leibson et al. JAMA. 2001:285:60