Traumatic Brain Injury and Likelihood of ADHD
For parents with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affected child or an adult diagnosed with ADHD a link has been found between traumatic brain injury and the incidence of ADHD. Although, researchers stress that an early head injury does not cause ADHD, but instead is associated with a subsequent diagnosis of ADHD. Researchers believe the risky behaviors undertaken by those with ADHD put them in a category of increased risk of traumatic brain injury. Professor Heather T Keenan of the Department of Pediatrics, University of Utah and colleagues reported their findings and published them on bmj.com. Her team studied children who had suffered a head injury prior to two years of age. What they found was those who had suffered a head injury nearly doubled the likelihood of receiving an ADHD diagnosis later in life. In an accompanying editorial, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Morris Zwi suggests that this research “strengthens the hypothesis that the ADHD core symptoms of excessive inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity might be key factors associated with an increased rate of injury. Primary care clinicians should assess children with injuries for symptoms of ADHD and continue to monitor them over time,” concluded Zwi.
