Finding undiagnosed adults through their children works because there is a hereditary aspect to the neurological disorder, researchers say.
There is an “alarming” lack of awareness of the disorder, which can persist into adulthood, say psychiatrists from the University of Pretoria in an article published in the SA Journal of Psychiatry.
Untreated ADHD in adults can mean difficulty focusing, completing tasks and controlling impulsiveness. This can lead to low confidence, difficulty managing money and relationship problems.
So, in order to find adults who need treatment, the psychiatrists screened the parents of children receiving ADHD treatment to see if they, too, suffered from “functional impairment” or symptoms of the disorder.
The causes of ADHD are not known, with about 5% of children globally estimated to have it . But it is accepted you are eight times more likely to be diagnosed if your parent has it.
The psychiatrists, led by lead author Ravindra Sundarlall, hypothesised that if you can help the parent with ADHD or those who are stressed by raising a child with ADHD – it can reduce behavioural and emotional problems for the child.
They screened 82 parents of children with ADHD. Many of the parents reported problems functioning in daily life and 41% screened positive for ADHD, even those who didn’t have significant challenges.
Many were stressed by raising a child with ADHD because they struggled to concentrate, complete tasks and learn at school.
“Even if parents have an understanding of a child with ADHD because they also struggled to concentrate at school, it can still be difficult,” said Cara Blackie, educational psychologist.
The study found parents with ADHD had additional challenges with parenting and at work, including trouble getting a promotion, as well as low self-esteem.
They were more likely to engage in risky behaviour as well as smoke, drink and be verbally aggressive.
