Many review that ADHD may include the adult population and I appreciate the deeper discussions with these clients.
I know some have done a differential on these clients but can anyone drill deeper on how they treat and diagnose these patients?
Many just assume that they still have ADHD when they are diagnosed as children. Is this always true? How can this assumption affect treatment?
All references require creditable sources, nothing less than 5 years. References require doi or http. Please add conclusion.
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ADHD in Adult Population
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ADHD in Adult Population
ADHD affects both children and adults. Statistics in the United States shows that 4.4 percent of all ADHD patients are adults, although the percentage may be higher. Diagnosis involves assessing patient symptoms (Brown et al., 2019). For example, adults may be diagnosed with ADHD is they have 5 or more symptoms of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsiveness. The assessment is made in line with the diagnostic criteria for ADHD patients (Jensen et al., 2016). For instance, some symptoms in adult patients include the inability to focus on a task, poor planning, problem concentrating, and low frustration tolerance levels. On the other hand, treatment involves prescribing stimulants such as methylphenidate. The purpose of stimulants is to increase the amount of dopamine in the brain (Semerci et al., 2016). High levels of dopamine help adult patients to improve their judgment, thinking, and memory.
Many people assume that since they were diagnosed with ADHD as children, they carry on the disease in old age. However, research shows that only less than 40 percent of the children with ADHD carry it on into their adulthood (Mattingly et al., 2017). Although the cases of ADHD may be underreported in adults, it is not automatic that children will carry the condition into adulthood. According to Jensen et al. (2016), there is no known cure, but the medications provided to patients can lead to recovery. One of the effects of believing that a person still has ADHD in adulthood is non-compliance. Patients perceive that they will have to live with the condition no matter the treatment. It is not a wonder that cases of ADHD are highly underreported in adult patients (Brown et al., 2019). Others may also take more drugs in an attempt to treat the condition. Therefore, adult patients should get facts to avoid making assumptions about their health condition.
References
Brown, T. E., Romero, B., Sarocco, P., Atkins, N., Schwartz, E. J., & Rhoten, S. (2019). The Patient Perspective: Unmet Treatment Needs in Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. The Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, 21(3).
Jensen, C. M., Amdisen, B. L., Jørgensen, K. J., & Arnfred, S. M. (2016). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for ADHD in adults: systematic review and meta-analyses. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 8(1), 3-11.
Mattingly, G. W., Wilson, J., & Rostain, A. L. (2017). A clinician’s guide to ADHD treatment options. Postgraduate Medicine, 129(7), 657-666.
Semerci, B., Taskıran, S., Tufan, E., & Şanlı, I. (2016). Factors predicting treatment adherence in patients with adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A preliminary study. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders, 8(3), 139-147.
