Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (
ADHD) is a highly publicized childhood disorder that affects approximately 3% to 5% of all children.
The number of people with adult ADHD is unknown, and medical experts continue to debate whether children can expect to outgrow the symptoms of ADHD by the time they reach adulthood. Some studies have shown a significant decline in ADHD symptoms as a person ages. Others estimate that between 30% and 70% of children with ADHD will continue to have symptoms of ADHD into adulthood.
Adult ADHD is a much more elaborate disorder than in children. It's more than a lack of paying attention and controlling impulses; the problem is developing self-regulation. This self-control affects an adult's ability not just to perform tasks, but to determine when they need to be done. You don't expect 4- or 5-year-olds to have a sense of time and organization, but adults need goal-directed behavior -- they need help in planning for the future and remembering things that have to get done.
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