A simple tool to help you differentiate between ADHD and the most common overlapping comorbidities in children
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“The core symptoms of ADHD are developmental in nature.”2
-Frank Lopez, MD
Research indicates that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) develop 2 to 3 years more slowly than their neurotypical peers.3 Children with ADHD also tend to get poorer grades, score lower on standardized tests, experience peer rejection, and have poorer educational outcomes overall compared to those without ADHD.4 These differences in development may be due to the fact that the core symptoms of inattention and impulsivity result in lessened motivation and task persistence needed to facilitate learning behaviors.4
Children with ADHD often have issues with higher-order, goal-directed neurocognitive processes, including:
Additionally, children with ADHD frequently exhibit difficulties in language acquisition, including both receptive and expressive language.6
Low frustration tolerance and explosive behavior are established symptoms of ADHD.8 However, emotional dysregulation is increasingly viewed as a core feature of the disorder rather than merely an associated symptom.1
Difficulties with emotional regulation may lead children with ADHD to struggle in important areas of social relatedness, including8,9:
Issues with social functioning, together with behavioral regulation, cause difficulties in the school setting and can limit academic achievement for children with ADHD.1,10
References: 1. Brown TE. Developmental complexities of attentional disorders. In: Brown TE, Ed. ADHD Comorbidities: Handbook for ADHD Complications in Children and Adults; Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc; 2009:3-23. 2. Data on file. Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 3. Berger I, Slobodin O, Aboud M, Melamed J, Cassuto H. Maturational delay in ADHD: evidence from CPT. Front Hum Neurosci. 2013;7:691. 4. Colomer C, Berenguer C, Roselló B, Baixauli I, Miranda A. The impact of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms, and executive functions on learning behaviors of children with ADHD. Frontiers Psych. 2017;8(540):1-10. 5. Ter-Stepanian M, Grizenko N, Cornish K, et al. Attention and executive function in children diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and comorbid disorders. J Can Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2017;26(1):21-30. 6. Barkley RA. Behavioral inhibition, sustained attention, and executive functions: constructing a unifying theory of ADHD. Psychol Bull. 1997;121(1):65-94. 7. Adler LA, Clemow DB, Williams DW, Durell TM. Atomoxetine effects on executive function as measured by the BRIEF—in young adults with ADHD: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. PLoS One. 2014;9(8):e104175. 8. van Stralen J. Emotional dysregulation in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Atten Defic Hyperact Disord. 2016;8(4):175-187. 9. Banaschewski T, Becker K, Dopfner M, Holtmann M, Rosler M, Romanos M. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(9):149-159. 10. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc; 2013.