Attention Deficit Disorder Statistics: Behind the ADD Numbers

Attention Deficit Disorder Statistics: Behind the ADD Numbers
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Physical and Emotional Symptoms - ADD/ADHD Statistics

Dr. Russell Barkley, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina has conducted extensive research on how ADD affects those who have it. His attention deficit disorder statistics show that people with ADD are at a higher risk of developing other physical and emotional issues. For example, about half of the children who have been diagnosed with ADD experience problems sleeping at night. In addition, about 75% of boys and 60% of girls who have been diagnosed with ADD have symptoms of hyperactivity.

In addition to physical issues, people with ADD may have difficulties with emotional maturity. On average, children with ADD develop 30% more slowly than children who have not been diagnosed. That means that a ten year old with ADD will have the emotional maturity of a seven year old, and an eighteen year old will have the emotional maturity of a twelve year old.

Learning Problems

ADD can also have an effect on the learning abilities of students. Twenty five percent of children who have been diagnosed with ADD also have a serious learning disability, such as dyslexia, speech problems, insufficient listening skills, or dyscalculia. In addition to these disabilities that actually carry a diagnosis, one half of children with ADD lack the skills that they need in order to attain good listening comprehension. This can harm their educational prospects as they may be unable to understand verbal instruction which can lead to discipline issues as they may misbehave to express their frustration.

Discipline Issues

Perhaps the least known attention deficit disorder statistics are those that relate to discipline. Children with ADD are more likely to have discipline issues, with 65% of children with ADD displaying problems with defiance towards authority figures, including open hostility or unrestrained temper tantrums. This leads to problems in school, which can have lasting repercussions.

After all, 45% of children with ADD have had at least one suspension from school, and 30% of children with ADD have repeated a school year. As students approach the teen years, the discipline problems steepen. Twenty-one percent of teens who have been diagnosed with ADD are regularly truant, and 35% of them end up dropping out before graduating high school. In addition, they also are four times as likely as non ADD teens to receive a traffic citation due to driving or parking illegally.

All of these ADD and ADHD statistics can be mind-numbing at first glance, but keep in mind that your child with ADD is more than just a statistic and they can succeed with help, support, guidance and good teaching practices.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

ADHD Child, https://www.adhdchild.org/articles1.html

Health Central. com, https://www.healthcentral.com/adhd/c/1443/13716/addadhd-statistics

This post is part of the series: Theories and Statistics of ADD and ADHD

Looking for some information about Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder? These articles in this series contain information about the statistics of ADD and ADHD to help you understand these disorders.

  1. Attention Deficit Disorder Statistics: How ADD Can Affect Your Child
  2. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Statistics