ADHD Linked to Childhood Depression
By Amy Capetta

Children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder at the ages of 4 and 6 are more likely to suffer from depression than other adolescents, according to a long-term study published in the October issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Children with ADHD were also more likely to think about or attempt suicide five to 13 years after diagnosis.

The 14-year study, which was performed by researchers at both the University of Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh, followed 123 children diagnosed with ADHD from adolescence -- ages 4 or 6 -- until they reached the ages 18 or 20. The researchers found that 18 percent of children diagnosed early with ADHD suffered from depression and were 10 times more likely to be depressed than children who did not receive an early ADHD diagnosis. Children with ADHD also were five times as likely to have considered suicide at least once, and twice as likely to have made an attempt.

"The study is important for providing another reason for concluding that ADHD in children is not something to take lightly," study author Benjamin Lahey, professor of health studies and psychiatry at the University of Chicago, told AOL Health. "However, my great concern about press coverage of this paper is that parents will panic and think their children with ADHD are destined for depression or suicide. That is not true."

In the formal release, Lahey elaborated on this point, saying, "Suicide attempts were relatively rare, even in the study group. Parents should keep in mind that more than 80 percent of the children with ADHD did not attempt suicide and no one in this study committed suicide."

The research breaks down these statistics into more specific categories. For example, girls were at greater risk for depression than boys, and children whose mothers suffered from depression were also more likely to suffer from depression.

"Instead of attempting to tell mothers and fathers what to look for or how to parent their children with ADHD, I think we should be advising them to seek help from a mental health professional who is trained in cognitive-behavior therapy with families -- which is the approach that has been shown to work best with children with ADHD," Lahey told AOL Health. "This type of professional can get to know the child and family well, decide if the child actually has ADHD and provide advice that is tailored to the family's specific circumstances."