Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Q&As
Published by Bupa's health information team, June 2009.
Answers to questions about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
This section contains answers to common questions about this topic. Questions have been suggested by health professionals, website feedback and requests via email.
- I'm an adult: could I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) even though I wasn't diagnosed with it as a child?
- What foods might be particularly good or bad for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
- I'm pregnant and have an older child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Is my new baby likely to have ADHD too?
I'm an adult: could I have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) even though I wasn't diagnosed with it as a child?
Yes. It's estimated that ADHD may affect around one in 25 adults. Most often, ADHD will have been diagnosed in childhood and persisted through adolescence into adulthood. However, the number of adults being newly diagnosed with ADHD is increasing and new guidelines on how to diagnose and treat adult ADHD have been developed.
Explanation
ADHD symptoms which are more likely to persist into adulthood include those related to inattention (such as lack of concentration and forgetfulness) while hyperactivity symptoms are more likely to improve with age. In general, ADHD symptoms in adulthood are milder than those in childhood. However, the impact of ADHD in adults may be greater because of the increased demands of adulthood (for example, employment and family).
Adults with ADHD will often also have other mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, alcohol and/or drug dependence. These conditions may be as a result of their ADHD (for example, struggling to cope with the effects of ADHD can lead to depression) or may make the symptoms of ADHD worse.
You may want to talk to your GP to discuss the likelihood of ADHD if you have the following symptoms.
You have difficulty:
- remembering appointments
- finishing off big projects at work or at home
- organising yourself and following instructions
- doing difficult or repetitive tasks
- concentrating on what other people are saying to you
- waiting your turn in queues
You may also:
- try to get out of or delay starting large or difficult tasks
- fidget a lot or have to get up and move around frequently
- feel restless and always 'on the go'
- make careless and frequent mistakes in your work
- frequently lose things
- be easily distracted by activity or noise around you
- find yourself talking too much or finishing other people's sentences
Further information
- National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDISS)
020 8952 2800
www.addiss.co.uk
Sources
- Nutt DJ, Fone K, Asherson P, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adolescents in transition to adult services and in adults: recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. J Psychopharm 2007; 21:10-41. http://jop.sagepub.com
What foods might be particularly good or bad for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
There is conflicting evidence about whether certain foods are good or bad for children with ADHD. However, you may wish to talk to your child's doctor about cutting out foods such as sugar, caffeine and food additives from your child's diet. You could also encourage him or her to eat more foods containing minerals, vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids.
Explanation
Your child's doctor may advise you to alter your child's diet to include or exclude certain foods in an effort to control his or her ADHD symptoms. However, the evidence to support changes in diet as a treatment for ADHD is slim and there are differing opinions as to whether or not diet plays an important role in ADHD.
Several studies have been carried out on the effects of sugar and food additives, such as tartrazine and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Some of these studies found that sugar and food additives made ADHD symptoms worse, while others found that they had no effect or even made ADHD symptoms better.
Foods which may negatively affect your child's ADHD symptoms include:
- sugar
- caffeine
- food colourings - including tartrazine (E102), carmoisine (E122), ponceau 4R (E124) and sunset yellow (E110)
- food preservatives - including sodium benzoate (E211) and nitrates
- MSG
- salicylates (naturally occurring in foods such as raspberries, strawberries, oranges and tomatoes)
Your child's doctor or a dietitian may be able to help you identify particular foods which make your child's symptoms worse. They can help you to remove these foods from your child's diet while making sure that he or she doesn't miss out on any important nutrients.
Some studies have found that children with ADHD can have significantly lower levels of essential nutrients (such as vitamins, minerals and fatty acids) in their bodies compared to children who don't have ADHD.
Several studies have also shown that supplementing the diet of children with ADHD with these nutrients can help improve ADHD symptoms. However, some studies have also found that these supplements made little or no difference to ADHD symptoms. In addition, the safety of high doses of supplements is unproven. Your child's doctor or a dietitian may be able to advise you on which supplements may be useful for your child, and in what amounts.
Supplements which may help to improve your child's ADHD symptoms include:
- iron
- zinc
- omega-3 fatty acids (for example, from fish oil, cod liver oil or evening primrose oil)
Finally, it's important to remember that eating a varied and balanced diet promotes healthy development in all children.
Further information
- National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDISS)
020 8952 2800
www.addiss.co.uk
Sources
- Diet, behaviour and learning in children. British Dietetic Association (BDA), 2007. www.bda.uk.com
- Simon C, Everitt H, Kendrick T. Oxford Handbook of General Practice. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007:899
- Curtis LT, Patel K. Nutritional and environmental approaches to preventing and treating autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a review. J Altern Complement Med 2008; 14:79-85. www.liebertpub.com
- Fats. Food Standards Agency. www.eatwell.gov.uk, accessed 23 June 2008
I'm pregnant and have an older child who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Is my new baby likely to have ADHD too?
A child born into a family where ADHD is present (for example, parents or older brothers or sisters have ADHD) may be up to five times more likely to have ADHD than a child born into a family with no history of ADHD. However, there are a number of other factors which are also known to play a role in ADHD.
Explanation
It's been established that there is a strong genetic basis for ADHD and several genes which may play an important role in the development of the condition have been identified. However, it's believed that genetic predisposition on its own isn't usually enough to cause ADHD; other factors play an important role too.
As with many psychiatric conditions, ADHD occurs in boys much more frequently than in girls. It's thought that boys may be around three times more likely to have ADHD than girls, and are more likely to be referred for treatment because of the more aggressive nature of their symptoms.
If you're pregnant, it's recommended that you don't smoke, drink alcohol or take illegal drugs (such as marijuana and cocaine) as these have been linked to the development of ADHD in the unborn child. These recommendations are particularly important if you're concerned that your child may have a genetic predisposition for ADHD.
It's been found that not only does smoking in pregnancy increase the risk of ADHD, but the number of cigarettes smoked during pregnancy can also affect the number and severity of ADHD symptoms in the unborn child. The more cigarettes you smoke during pregnancy, the more ADHD symptoms your child is likely to have, and the more serious these ADHD symptoms are likely to be.
A number of studies have found that drinking alcohol in pregnancy increases the risk of ADHD in the unborn child. However, several studies have found no link between alcohol consumption in pregnancy and ADHD in the unborn child. Nevertheless, you still shouldn't drink alcohol in pregnancy as it may affect your baby's development in other ways.
There isn't thought to be an increased risk of ADHD in your unborn child if you consume caffeine (for example, in tea, coffee or chocolate) during pregnancy.
In summary, there is no way of predicting whether or not your unborn child is likely to have ADHD. However, you can help to reduce the risk of ADHD by not drinking alcohol, smoking or taking illegal drugs during pregnancy. Talk to your child's specialist and your midwife about what else you can do to reduce the risk of ADHD.
Further information
- National Attention Deficit Disorder Information and Support Service (ADDISS)
020 8952 2800
www.addiss.co.uk
Sources
- Nutt DJ, Fone K, Asherson P, et al. Evidence-based guidelines for management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adolescents in transition to adult services and in adults: recommendations from the British Association for Psychopharmacology. J Psychopharm 2007; 21:10-41. http://jop.sagepub.com
- Understanding and recognising ADHD. ADDISS. www.addiss.co.uk, accessed 1 July 2008
- The pregnancy book. Department of Health. 2007. www.dh.gov.uk
- Langley K, Holmans P, van den Bree M, et al. Effects of low birth weight, maternal smoking in pregnancy and social class on the phenotypic manifestation of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and associated antisocial behaviour: investigation in a clinical sample. BMC Psychiatry 2007; 7:26. www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpsychiatry
- Linnet K, Dalsgaard S, Wisborg K, et al. Maternal lifestyle factors in pregnancy risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and associated behaviors: Review of the current evidence. Am J Psychiatry 2003; 160:1028-1040. http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org
- Linares TJ, Singer LT, Kirchner HL, et al. Mental health outcomes of cocaine-exposed children at 6 years of age. J Pediatr Psychol 2006; 31:85-97. http://jpepsy.oxfordjournals.org
Related topics
- Autistic spectrum disorders
- Dyslexia
- Giving up smoking
- Healthy eating
- Routine care during your pregnancy
- Sensible drinking
This information was published by Bupa's health information team and is based on reputable sources of medical evidence. It has been peer reviewed by Bupa doctors. The content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.
Publication date: June 2009
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children factsheet
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