A new research study, published this month in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, found that adolescents adopted as infants are twice as likely to have behavioral disorders as those who are not adopted. These behavioral disorders include ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder.
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Adoptees at Higher Risk for ADHD
2/17/09 7:59pm
ADHD is a genetic trait, according to research, passed down from parent to child. As inheritable as height or body build is, so is ADHD (50% liklihood that a child will have ADHD if one parent has ADHD). With that being said, consider the impulsiveness that goes along with ADHD. Unprotected sex resulting in an unplanned pregnancy is likely to be higher in adolescents and adults with ADHD than those without. This is likely to result in a child that may be placed for adoption which may pass along those traits (ADHD) which were inherited from their parents.
International adoptions, in general, tend to be for different reasons than unplanned pregnancy resulting from impulsive unprotected sex, so the inherited traits are different. Just my thoughts on the subject.
12/23/10 1:30pm
Hi, I am an adoptee and can say that my A.D.D. was passed on to me by my birthmother. She is undiagnosed A.D.D. but it is pretty apparent, especially given the sexual risk taking that produces the child available for adoption. I have since then passed it along in different forms to my children and have also had risk taking sexual experiences that resulted in 3 unplanned pregnancies and one std. My parents were highly educated quite linear and loved me very much. Before my official A.D.D. diagnosis, which occurred after my eldest son was A.D.D. dx'd my parents supported me and bent over backwards to help me compensate for the A.D.D. shortcomings. Having had tutors to attend me with my homework I was able to learn and succeed. My parents could not sit with me for homework because I would manipulate them with angry tantrums to avoid their "help"- (not so atypical for A.D.D.ers I've noted) After diagnosis and medications as an adult of 43 years, anger and frustration from years of feeling inadequacy and under accomplishment became controllable and manageable. Meds don't "cure" the ADD but help make the brain "available" for learning.
Most frustrating, is the ignorance, lack of education and lack of tolerance NON ADDr’s have for “us”. The ADDer having more than adequate ability to accomplish something with flying colors one day, yet total inability on another day for the same causes the unknowing observer to become very perplexed. Quite often that same observer cannot fathom such behavior as “normal and typical” for an ADDer needing to come up a logical “negative comment” such as “how can you be so thoughtless, rude, stupid, lazy or inattentive?”. This causes the ADD’r the need to explain with “logical for the linear individual” excuses, fibs and reasons “why” they observed the “unbelievable inconsistent”, “smart one day, stupid the next” “able one day unable the next” behavior of the ADD’r. I believe inability to fit the “linear mold” seems to entice some ADD’ers to feel better with alcohol or substance abuse. Society needs to be made more aware of the ADD brain, lighten up a little and enjoy the sometimes entertaining behavior and help out rather than condemn the “odd and sometimes unbelievable” inadequacies.
JBT age 56
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I've worked in adoptions for a few years but I felt something cold in my soul when I saw the headline for the article. Despite all the reputable, scholarly experts involved in the study, the whole thing seems over reaching, jumping to conclusions. I had the same reaction to the American Heart Association running to press with the news that some ADHD children on stimulant medication reportedly had cardiac disease. The bottom line is how we should resist any more labels for any of our kids.
In my very humble experience, ADHD in adopted children has a lot to do with what happened prior to the adoption, which someone did note in the article. I wouldn't doubt for a minute the results would be even higher with children in foster care who are not yet adopted. Also, what "experts" call oppositional defiant disorder, is typically a kid fed up with being jerked all around after a really rough start. The whole study appears, unbalanced and incomplete but I'm no expert. I have ADD and I'm a social worker. Thank you for allowing me to share my perspective.