Medication Can Help Reduce the Risks of Injury
Can including medication in your child’s ADHD treatment plan help him avoid some childhood injuries? Recent research indicates it can, along with lowering the risks of injuries that could land a child in the emergency room.
In addition to reducing common injuries—broken bones and cuts needing stitches—including medication in treatment can reduce the likelihood of traumatic brain injuries from blows to the head, according to recently published research.
The risk of injury
Children who have ADHD are at a higher risk of injury. Those with more severe ADHD symptoms are at a greater risk, including the possibility of more severe injuries. They are 4.6 times more likely to experience a traumatic brain injury than their peers.
The symptoms of impulsivity, inattentiveness, and forgetfulness can play a role in a child’s getting hurt during an activity. Novelty-seeking and the excitement of rule-breaking can also lead to decisions that end in accidental injury.
“When asked, most children with ADHD will be able to tell you before or after what they should do in a circumstance, but when faced with that circumstance, they forget and follow the impulse,” says Glen Elliott, MD, medical director of the Children’s Health Council in Palo Alto, California.
Medication to help prevent harm
For many years doctors and researchers have recommended medication to help prevent accidents and injuries related to ADHD symptoms. Researchers publishing in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry shared the results after they evaluated the health records of almost two million children with an ADHD diagnosis or who were receiving medication for ADHD symptoms. Of these children, 87,154 had at least one injury that required medical treatment.
Their analysis showed that including medication in ADHD treatment was associated with a lower risk of emergency room visits for both boys and girls. Per 100,00 boys, it was 37.9 fewer ER visits and per 100,000 girls it was 25.15 fewer ER visits. Of all injuries, it was 73.29 fewer for boys and 56.11 fewer for girls, per 100,000 each.
For traumatic brain injuries, the results also showed a decrease. Per 100,000 children–for both boys and girls—there were 4.24 fewer TBIs for boys and 1.87 fewer for girls.
“From a clinical perspective, the increasing evidence that ADHD medication seems to be associated with a reduction of severe outcomes, including injuries, but also criminality, substance use disorder, and transport accidents, may be an additional factor to consider when weighing benefits against risks of ADHD medications,” the researchers write. “These results highlight how the use of ADHD medication may be associated with beneficial effects that go beyond reducing core symptoms of ADHD and extend to the prevention of health-related adverse events, such as physical injuries, including TBI.”
Treating ADHD for a longer, healthier life
Researcher Russell A. Barkley, PhD, spoke at the 2018 Annual International Conference on ADHD on his findings that treating ADHD symptoms is an important part of addressing a person’s overall health. By including ADHD treatment in an comprehensive healthcare plan, a person is better able to address chronic health conditions, make and keep annual check-ups, and follow self-care routines that support good health. This includes reducing the risks and avoiding life-altering or life-ending injuries. In doing so, a person can add 13 or more years to his life that he may not have had without treatment.
“In evaluating the health consequences of ADHD over time, we found that ADHD adversely affects every aspect of quality of life and longevity,” says Dr. Barkley. “This is due to the inherent deficiencies in self-regulation associated with ADHD that lead to poor self-care and impulsive, high-risk behavior. The findings are sobering, but also encouraging, as ADHD is the most treatable mental health disorder in psychiatry.”
Want to know more about treating ADHD to reduce injuries?
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication and Unintentional Injuries in Children and Adolescents
- Wear Your Helmet! ADHD Raises Risk of Head Injury
- ADHD & Driving? Research Points to Meds
- Study Shows Medication Can Help Prevent Teens’ Risky Behaviors
- Men: Treat ADHD to Improve Your Health
Join the discussion: Have ADHD symptoms contributed to your child visiting the emergency room?