NEGATIVE IMPACT OF ADD/ADHD IN ADULTS

Jason Fletcher from the Yale School of Public Health published a study showing some of the economic impact of childhood ADD/ADHD on the adult labor market.  Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, Dr. Fletcher shows that employment is reduced by 10-14%, earnings are reduced by one third and the need for public assistance is increased by 15% for adults who were diagnosed with ADD/ADHD as children.  There was also an indication that the earilier the diagnosis the greater the impact. Dr. Fletcher believes that treatment of ADD/ADHD can lesson the impact on employment and other negative effects of childhood ADD/ADHD.

Related to the question if treatment of ADD/ADHD will reduce negative outcomes as adults, Lichensteinet al., in the November 22, 2012 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine published findings indicating that treatment of ADD/ADHD can lower the rates of criminal behavior.  These findings held up looking at the pooled data and if looked at on an individual basis.  The authors believe that this shows that treatment of ADD/ADHD lowers the risk of criminal behavior and likely lowers the risk of other negative outcomes from untreated ADD/ADHD such as the employment rate as discussed above.

An epidemiologic study of ADD/ADHD by Costello and Angold out of Duke University and published in the Archives of General Psychiatry in 1996, using children from western North Carolina, showed that ADD/ADHD was underdiagnosed and undertreated.  This would seem to underscore the importance of identifying children who have ADD/ADHD and providing effective treatment in order to prevent negative outcomes as adults, including lower employment and criminal behavior.

REVERENCE FOR ALL LIFE

Reverence is a feeling of profound awe and respect.  Albert Schweitzer felt that having a reverence for all life was ethical and moral, while anythng that destroys, harms or hinders life is wrong.  Schweitzer believed that alll life was sacred.  He spoke out against war and nuclear weapons as well as speaking out against our destruction of the environment.   At this time of deep sadness as we open our hearts to the families and classmates of the students who were killed at their elementary school in Connecticutt, I am reminded that all life is precious.  I also believe in people and their ability to choose good over evil.  

Why don't we take this time to honor those children who died and our own children, by valuing life and reaching out to others, while resisting putting others down or judging them.