Study: Children with ADHD at greater risk for depression and suicide

By Staff Writer

A recent study shows that young children who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) face a greater risk for depression and suicide between ages 9 and 18.

The research, which was published in Archives of General Psychiatry, monitored the behavioral patterns of children from 4 to 18, according to WebMD Health News. The study reveals that 12 percent of children with ADHD said they had a specific suicide plan at least once during their adolescence, while only 1.6 percent of the ADHD-free kids said they thought of suicide.

"The importance of this study is simply that it confirms that ADHD in children is not something to take lightly," an Illinois-based professor of epidemiology said.

The researchers found that girls who had ADHD were more at risk than boys for developing depression or suicidal thoughts. Also at a higher risk were children with ADHD who had a depressed mom and those who had a lot of anxiety and behavioral issues.

The most recent data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately 4.5 million children 5-17 years of age have been diagnosed with ADHD.