ADHD: Not Just a Childhood Disorder: A Discussion of Evaluation, Diagnosis, And Treatment: In This 10-Part Series, EP Explores Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (Part 5) (Exceptional Parent) (Disease/Disorder Overview‪)‬

Many of us know children who have difficulty paying attention, are hyperactive, and/or demonstrate impulsive behaviors. Although years separate these children from adults in workplace situations, often these difficulties and behaviors do not go away, but they may present differently. You may know of adults who have trouble focusing and finishing their work, are restless during long meetings, or are consistently interrupting others so they don't lose their next thought. It is possible that these individuals, whether children or adults, have a real neurologic behavioral disorder called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). While many people tend to think of ADHD as a childhood problem, at least two-thirds of children with ADHD maintain symptoms such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity into adulthood. In fact, in the United States alone, ADHD affects at least 4.4 percent of adults aged 18-44 (based on results from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, a nationally representative household survey, which used a lay-administered diagnostic interview to access a wide range of DSM-IV [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition] disorders). If ADHD is not managed correctly in adults, it can make it challenging to be a parent, spouse, household manager, coworker, or friend.