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Diagnosis: ADHD-or Is It Trauma?
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childadvocate
Oct 6, 2009, 10:14:11 PM10/6/09
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http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100191637
Diagnosis: ADHD-or Is It Trauma? Hyperactive, yes. Attention problems,
check. But it's not ADHD.
By Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness Medically Reviewed By:
George T. Grossberg, M.D.
...In Chemtob's 9/11 study, even children who saw people jump from the
towers tended not to have lasting problems. But preschoolers who had
experienced multiple traumatic events were 16 times more likely to
have attention problems-and 21 times more likely to be overly
emotionally reactive and/or to show symptoms of depression and anxiety-
than children who had not had such experiences.
But, if other studies of similar children are a guide, many of these
severely affected children would probably not meet criteria for post-
traumatic stress disorder. Studies following children with known
trauma exposure find that they are much more likely to suffer other
anxiety disorders or depression than classic PTSD.
Indeed, despite the high prevalence of potentially traumatizing
experiences, less than half a percent of the children followed in the
North Carolina study could be diagnosed with PTSD. However, 40 percent
of those who had had such experiences qualified for at least one
diagnosis, often depression or anxiety disorders.
As a result, many traumatized children whose behavior has clearly been
affected by their experiences aren't diagnosed with PTSD-or diagnosed
at all. Chemtob notes that "virtually none" of the children in his
study were getting any kind of treatment, despite symptoms severe
enough to warrant it.
page 2
...Trauma can also produce what's known as a "dissociative" reaction.
When a threat is physically inescapable, the body prepares for injury
by slowing heart rate and breathing. The brain is flooded with
endogenous opioids-the brain's own painkillers-which cause numbness.
In extreme cases, the person feels like he has "left his body" and is
watching events from outside.
A sight, sound, smell or memory can trigger a return to this state.
"Children may space out and appear to be daydreaming," Putnam says.
"They lose contact with reality and become involved in an internal
world. Teachers see a child who is never paying attention. They still
have their math book out when the teacher has moved on to history."
Many children who are diagnosed with ADHD, Putnam believes, may
actually be suffering from trauma. "There is probably a significant
group of kids with traumatic hypervigilance or dissociation that
interferes with attention and increases arousal and activity levels,"
who are misdiagnosed, he says.
What's worse, children suffering trauma symptoms actually have higher
than normal levels of neurotransmitters like adrenaline and
noradrenaline (norepinephrine), according to Putnam. These same
transmitters are raised even further by stimulants like Ritalin that
are commonly prescribed for ADHD.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100191637
Diagnosis: ADHD-or Is It Trauma? Hyperactive, yes. Attention problems,
check. But it's not ADHD.
By Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness Medically Reviewed By:
George T. Grossberg, M.D.
...In Chemtob's 9/11 study, even children who saw people jump from the
towers tended not to have lasting problems. But preschoolers who had
experienced multiple traumatic events were 16 times more likely to
have attention problems-and 21 times more likely to be overly
emotionally reactive and/or to show symptoms of depression and anxiety-
than children who had not had such experiences.
But, if other studies of similar children are a guide, many of these
severely affected children would probably not meet criteria for post-
traumatic stress disorder. Studies following children with known
trauma exposure find that they are much more likely to suffer other
anxiety disorders or depression than classic PTSD.
Indeed, despite the high prevalence of potentially traumatizing
experiences, less than half a percent of the children followed in the
North Carolina study could be diagnosed with PTSD. However, 40 percent
of those who had had such experiences qualified for at least one
diagnosis, often depression or anxiety disorders.
As a result, many traumatized children whose behavior has clearly been
affected by their experiences aren't diagnosed with PTSD-or diagnosed
at all. Chemtob notes that "virtually none" of the children in his
study were getting any kind of treatment, despite symptoms severe
enough to warrant it.
page 2
...Trauma can also produce what's known as a "dissociative" reaction.
When a threat is physically inescapable, the body prepares for injury
by slowing heart rate and breathing. The brain is flooded with
endogenous opioids-the brain's own painkillers-which cause numbness.
In extreme cases, the person feels like he has "left his body" and is
watching events from outside.
A sight, sound, smell or memory can trigger a return to this state.
"Children may space out and appear to be daydreaming," Putnam says.
"They lose contact with reality and become involved in an internal
world. Teachers see a child who is never paying attention. They still
have their math book out when the teacher has moved on to history."
Many children who are diagnosed with ADHD, Putnam believes, may
actually be suffering from trauma. "There is probably a significant
group of kids with traumatic hypervigilance or dissociation that
interferes with attention and increases arousal and activity levels,"
who are misdiagnosed, he says.
What's worse, children suffering trauma symptoms actually have higher
than normal levels of neurotransmitters like adrenaline and
noradrenaline (norepinephrine), according to Putnam. These same
transmitters are raised even further by stimulants like Ritalin that
are commonly prescribed for ADHD.
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100191637
jmr
Oct 20, 2009, 3:56:37 AM10/20/09
to
On Oct 6, 10:14 pm, childadvocate <smartn...@aol.com> wrote:
> http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-document...> are commonly prescribed for ADHD.http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-document...
> http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-document...
The misdiagnosis of ADHD with children with PTSD seems extremely
plausible to me. A lot of the symptoms mimic eachother, and kids
probably haven't developed the mental processing capabilities that
would allow them to communicate what their symptoms are a reaction
of. If it is possible to develop a screening process that would be
applicable to children for PTSD, I believe this should be administered
to any child suspected of having ADHD.
Furthermore, knowing from personal experience PTSD can also be
mistaken for Bi-polar disorder, although this issue would probably
apply more to the adolescent crowd and above. Impulsive "acting out"
behaviors associated with mania can be a way one attempts to cope with
trauma. Some may engage in high energy dissociative behaviors to
distract themselves from dealing with the trauma that are also
misconstrued as mania. Furthermore, mood swings can be a symptom of
trauma as well as Bi-Polar disorder.
I feel like many people see symptoms perfectly fitting under this
umbrella in the DSM and do not attempt to investigate further. It is
extremely important to exhaust all avenues of etiology of symptoms,
because misdiagnosis can be very harmful. This is especially
important with trauma, which many people react to in different ways,
and engage in many different symptoms.
jmr
Oct 20, 2009, 3:57:36 AM10/20/09
to
On Oct 6, 10:14 pm, childadvocate <smartn...@aol.com> wrote:
> http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-document...
> http://health.msn.com/health-topics/adhd/articlepage.aspx?cp-document...
anderson...@gmail.com
Feb 16, 2020, 6:51:09 PM2/16/20
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kate copper
Nov 16, 2023, 8:21:32 AM11/16/23
to
Hello,
The article by Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness presents a thought-provoking perspective on the intersection between trauma and attention-related issues in children. The piece delves into how traumatic experiences, especially during early developmental stages, can manifest as attention problems and emotional reactivity, often leading to misdiagnoses or underdiagnoses of conditions like ADHD or PTSD.
It's a crucial insight that traumatic experiences, particularly in preschoolers, can significantly impact attention and emotional regulation. This could explain why some children, despite experiencing severe trauma, might not fit neatly into the criteria for PTSD but still exhibit symptoms affecting their behavior and emotional well-being.
The point about the potential misdiagnosis of trauma-related symptoms as ADHD is particularly striking. Dr. Putnam's suggestion that a subset of children diagnosed with ADHD might actually be experiencing traumatic hypervigilance or dissociation is a compelling idea. It raises important questions about the diagnostic process and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the underlying causes behind certain behavioral patterns.
Moreover, the mention of increased neurotransmitter levels in children experiencing trauma-related symptoms, alongside the prescription of stimulants like Ritalin for ADHD, raises concerns about the potential exacerbation of symptoms due to medication.
This article underscores the complexity of diagnosing and treating behavioral and attention-related issues in children, especially when trauma is a significant factor. It prompts a reevaluation of diagnostic approaches and the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of trauma on cognitive treatment and emotional functioning.
Thank you for sharing this insightful and thought-provoking piece.
https://www.lifebulb.com/
Best regards,
Kate Copper
The article by Maia Szalavitz for MSN Health & Fitness presents a thought-provoking perspective on the intersection between trauma and attention-related issues in children. The piece delves into how traumatic experiences, especially during early developmental stages, can manifest as attention problems and emotional reactivity, often leading to misdiagnoses or underdiagnoses of conditions like ADHD or PTSD.
It's a crucial insight that traumatic experiences, particularly in preschoolers, can significantly impact attention and emotional regulation. This could explain why some children, despite experiencing severe trauma, might not fit neatly into the criteria for PTSD but still exhibit symptoms affecting their behavior and emotional well-being.
The point about the potential misdiagnosis of trauma-related symptoms as ADHD is particularly striking. Dr. Putnam's suggestion that a subset of children diagnosed with ADHD might actually be experiencing traumatic hypervigilance or dissociation is a compelling idea. It raises important questions about the diagnostic process and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the underlying causes behind certain behavioral patterns.
Moreover, the mention of increased neurotransmitter levels in children experiencing trauma-related symptoms, alongside the prescription of stimulants like Ritalin for ADHD, raises concerns about the potential exacerbation of symptoms due to medication.
This article underscores the complexity of diagnosing and treating behavioral and attention-related issues in children, especially when trauma is a significant factor. It prompts a reevaluation of diagnostic approaches and the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of trauma on cognitive treatment and emotional functioning.
Thank you for sharing this insightful and thought-provoking piece.
https://www.lifebulb.com/
Best regards,
Kate Copper
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