What is a comorbid condition?
Comorbid conditions, or comorbidities, are those conditions that happen to occur at the same time. Another term for this would be "dual diagnosis." Many people with AD/HD have one or more additional diagnoses, such as depression, substance abuse disorders, a learning disability, ODD, or some other condition.

Can comorbid disorders mask one another?
Yes, this is often the case. For example, a person may be diagnosed with depression. After treatment, the depression is under control, but they still have the problems with inattention. Thus, the diagnosis would change to include AD/HD as well as the original diagnosis of depression. The AD/HD was there all the time, but it was overshadowed by the symptoms of depression.

What are the most common AD/HD comorbidities?
The numbers break down like this:
• Seventy percent of Adults with AD/HD will be treated for depression at some time.
• Some estimates are as high as 50% for AD/HD people who live with either Alcoholism or   some form of Substance Abuse
• Up to 23% will develop Bipolar Disorder
• Tourette's, Dyslexia, ODD and other disorders are more common among AD/HD people    than among the general population.

How do you know what to treat first?
It depends on what is causing the most problems. Generally, if a person has Depression, you would want to treat that before considering ADHD. This is because depression can look like AD/HD, especially ADD without hyperactivity. The same could be said of substance abuse.

What is the most important thing to consider when dealing with a child who has multiple diagnoses?
Make sure that everybody knows what everybody else is doing. If you are seeing a psychiatrist and a neurologist, make sure that both doctors are aware of what the other is doing, and that they are especially aware of which medications are being prescribed. You will have to be the line of communication here - doctors tend to have these ego-based turf battles which sometimes don't permit adequate communications.

Some people seem to collect diagnoses. What is behind that?
There are a couple of reasons why this happens. For one thing, it seems that many disorders travel in groups. Depression and AD/HD, for example, very often appear together. It is possible that after some time in therapy, the patient would have a list of various things for which they had been treated.

What is a good book about AD/HD and comorbid conditions?
Shadow Syndromes by John Ratey is probably the best book for adults living with two or more concurrent diagnoses. Another good book is Brainstorms by Joseph Horacek.

Divorce is common among families affected by ADHD. But getting a divorce doesn't necessarily mean you will live happily ever after. See this article from ADDitude: Marriage Experts Say "Hang In There."

View powerpoint presentation slide show: What is ADHD?


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New York, August 9, 2004 - To help patients, families and caregivers better understand attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dispel some common myths about the condition, Shire US Inc. will host the sixth annual ADHD Experts on Call on Monday, August 9, 2004 from 8 A.M. to midnight EDT.   This year, the host of ABC's Extreme Makeover:   Home Edition , Ty Pennington, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, will talk about his own experience managing the disorder, and answer calls along with some of the nation's top ADHD authorities at the toll-free telephone hotline, 1-888-ASK-ADHD.

The hotline is designed to provide "live" access to English- and Spanish-speaking experts including physicians, school nurses, educators, and advocates who can answer questions regarding the disorder.   In addition, a confidential, one-on-one on-line forum will be available at www.ADHDExpertsOnCall.com throughout the day.

ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed mental health disorder in children and adolescents with approximately two million U.S. children, or three to seven percent of all school-aged children, diagnosed with ADHD.   In addition, up to 65 percent of children with ADHD may still exhibit symptoms into adulthood, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.   Over the last five years, the ADHD Experts on Call have fielded more than 16,000 inquiries and have helped many people better understand the condition and how it may affect their families.  

"I know what's it's like to grow up with ADHD and how important it is for parents, caregivers and patients, to have access to accurate information," said Mr. Pennington.   "I'm thrilled to be a part of ADHD Experts on Call.   I hope that by working with all of these great people and sharing my and my family's experience, I'll help other kids and families understand that there are people out there ready to help them and that it's possible to live a full, productive life with ADHD."

The symptoms of ADHD may have a profound effect on a child's quality of life and can be serious enough to interfere with academic accomplishments.But just as important, children with ADHD also may have problems maintaining friendships, focusing on sports and other after-school activities, and relating well within their own families.   A diagnosis of ADHD requires that a child exhibit behaviors that are more frequent or more severe than in other children the same age.   These behaviors must create a real handicap in at least two areas of life, such as school, home, or in social settings.  

While the exact number of adults with ADHD is unknown, it is estimated that four percent of the U.S. adult population is affected by ADHD.   A recent national survey, "Capturing America's Attention," found that the repercussions of ADHD may have limited adults with the condition from reaching their full academic and occupational potential, and limit their satisfaction with themselves and their relationships.   According to the survey: