ADHD and trauma

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects between 5-10% of children and adolescents and it continues into adulthood in 30-70% of cases. It has long been suspected that ADHD is associated with an increased risk of accidents and a study of 88 hospital patients in Turkey would appear to back this up. The researchers found that 62.2% of the people admitted to hospital with trauma had ADHD symptoms while only 13.2% of a control group of patients admitted to hospital with other conditions had ADHD symptoms. The researchers then divided the patients with trauma into two separate groups, high-velocity trauma (car crashes and falling off high buildings) and low-velocity trauma (falls and sports injuries). Almost twice as many patients in the high-velocity trauma group had ADHD.

Kaya, A. ... [et al] - Trauma and adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder The Journal of International Medical Research January/February 2008, 36(1), 9-16