How TBI and ADHD are related

On Behalf of | Aug 27, 2015 | Brain Injuries

New Mexico parents may be interested in learning more about recent research that links traumatic brain injuries to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. A survey of adult residents in Canada indicates that people with a history of TBI might benefit from being screened for ADHD. Researchers claim they discovered a significant correlation between the two disorders. According to the new study, adults diagnosed with TBI are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than other patients.

ADHD symptoms typically manifest in early childhood and carry through to adulthood. Some of the symptoms most commonly associated with ADHD include the inability to pay attention and impulsiveness. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 11 percent of youths between the ages of 4 and 17 had been told by physicians that they had ADHD.

In 2010, the CDC predicted that there had been approximately 2.5 million accidents that resulted in a patient being diagnosed with TBI. According to the World Health Organization, TBI will become the third-largest cause of disability and disease worldwide, behind depression and heart disease. Authors of the study claim that more research is needed to properly assess how patients with TBI and ADHD symptoms should be treated. Past research indicates that either disorder can increase the likelihood of the other developing in the future.

People whose conditions worsen because of a misdiagnosis or a failure to diagnose might benefit from contacting legal counsel. Lawyers may be prepared to investigate the claim and help assess whether the health care practitioner can be held liable for the resulting damages. Plaintiffs in these cases might be entitled to receive compensation that helps account for corrective procedures, loss of income and other hardships caused by the medical negligence.

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