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Not Just for Kids: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

Summary & Participants

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder exists in the public imagination as a childhood issue. Yet the diagnosis of ADHD is increasingly applied to adults. What are the symptoms of ADHD in adults? Is it treated with the same techniques used for children? Join our experts as they take an in-depth look at ADHD in adults and discuss treatment options.

Medically Reviewed On: June 19, 2008

Webcast Transcript

LISA CLARK: I'm Lisa Clark. Welcome, and thanks for joining us for this Webcast. It's a common notion that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is a problem which mostly affects children. But increasingly, the syndrome is being recognized and treated in adults as well. For the next few minutes, we're going to take a look at how to recognize ADHD in adults, and discuss treatment options that can greatly improve the quality of life for adult patients. Joining us for the discussion are two experts in ADHD. We have Dr. Patricia Quinn, a Developmental Pediatrician in private practice in Washington, D.C. Welcome. And also Dr. Peter Jensen, who is a Professor of Child Psychiatry at Columbia University in New York. How common is ADHD in the adult population?

DR. PATRICIA QUINN: Well although no very good epidemiologic studies have been done, we know that it probably exists in about 2-4 percent of adults. We know that about 50 percent of children diagnosed with the disorder grow up to be adults who still have symptoms of the disorder. So it's still pretty common in the adult population.

LISA CLARK: Now is it possible to develop ADHD later in life as the result of any exposures to chemicals, or accidents, or anything like that? Or is this a condition that has always existed from childhood?

DR. PETER JENSEN: Well we do know that some people do develop secondary ADHD, for example, to head trauma. We do know that lead, at least in children, can precipitate ADHD symptoms and the syndrome, per se. So we have to be open to that possibility. Certainly head trauma, auto accidents, are one clear cause. But we don't think of it usually as an adult onset or an adolescent onset disorder. We usually look for it starting in the early childhood years.

LISA CLARK: How do you diagnose ADHD in adults? What are you looking for?

DR. PATRICIA QUINN: Well it's a historical diagnosis, just as in children. So we do need to ask the adults about symptoms of the disorder: inattentiveness, difficulty getting work done, procrastination, or organization problems. But we also need to ask their spouses or significant others those questions, as well as their parents, if they're available. When I diagnose adults with ADD, I also ask for any report cards they might have from when they were a child so I can look at their report cards and the notes that the teachers write on the report card. We also look for job evaluations, if the person will share them with us. Their supervisors may have talked about the fact that they can't get anything handed in on time. Or they may have performance difficulties as an adult.

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