ADD and Coexisting Conditions - Why is it so complicated?

ADD and Coexisting Conditions - Why is it so complicated?

ADD is often accompanied by a co-existing medical condition. On the other hand, ADD and these other conditions often share similar symptoms and are therefore easily misdiagnosed. This of course creates a variety of problems as these disorders, when separated, need to be treated differently. Misdiagnosis leads to ineffective treatment. As co-existing conditions, these are particularly worrisome because they increase the severity of many of the symptoms of ADD as well as the negative impact on those who suffer from them.

One such condition is Oppositional Defiant Disorder or Conduct Disorder. Children with this disorder tend to be very aggressive and defiant. They usually lose their tempers very easily and challenge authority figures. This is the easiest behavior to diagnose because teachers and parents quickly become aware of this behavior and seek treatment almost immediately. This particular disorder is common in children who are hyperactive/impulsive ADD and occurs in 35% of children with ADD. This coexisting condition makes it much more likely that these sufferers will get into legal trouble as they age because of their authoritative defiance.

Many children with ADD also suffer from mood disorders and/or depression. The complication associated with this co-existing condition is the increased likelihood of suicide, which often occurs in the teenage years. 18% of ADD children also suffer from a mood disorder, and it is more likely to occur in inattentive ADD children. This is often not as easy to diagnose compared to other diseases. Children with mood disorders as a coexisting condition need to be treated with medications other than typical ADD treatment. Therefore, such therapy may be more difficult.

Also worrying are anxiety disorders in ADD patients, which make up around 25% of ADD patients. Common features of anxiety disorders include fear, panic, and worry, which may require medication and/or counseling. As with mood disorders, combined treatment makes therapy more complex and laborious.

Learning difficulties are also conditions common in children with ADD. While ADD is not a learning disability per se, it can make it extremely difficult for children to perform well in school. When combined with a learning disability, it is significantly more difficult for children to understand academic concepts and use that knowledge.

In most cases, co-occurring diseases make treatment more difficult and the side effects of both diseases are more serious. The typical signs and symptoms of ADD are difficult enough to treat, but with greater severity it often results in fatal or incredibly negative life-changing side effects.

Inspired by Sarah Jenkins