New Study Links ADHD Diagnosis to Increased Risk of Child Injury
If your child has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is your son or daughter also at greater risk of sustaining a child injury? According to a recent study published in the journal Child: Care, Health & Development, children and teenagers who suffer from ADHD may be at increased risk of suffering child injuries. More specifically, those kids are “more likely to suffer a broken bone, sustain a burn, or become the victim of an accidental poisoning.” The authors of the study emphasize that pediatricians and other healthcare professionals need to provide parents with more information about how ADHD can increase injury risks at the time a child is diagnosed, as well as to give the parents information about steps to take in order to prevent serious injuries. If your child has experienced an injury that may be due to another person’s negligence, contact a child injury lawyer.
The researchers suggest that, because accidental injuries are a leading cause of death among children, learning more about how these accidents happen and which kids might be at greater risk is important to preventing these accidents altogether. Additionally, it is important to understand what to do after an accident has occurred. If your child was injured as a result of an accident, consult with a child injury attorney.
In addition to providing parents with information about injury risks at the time of an ADHD diagnosis, the researchers also suggest that there is a responsibility for healthcare providers to follow up with parents and to continue educating families about injury avoidance. Yet, as the article emphasizes, “the American Academy of Pediatrics does not currently recommend counseling parents and caregivers on the risk of injury.” The authors of the study suggest that the AAP should change its position.
Getting the Facts About Child Injuries
To conduct the study on ADHD and child injuries, the researchers examined healthcare and injury data from younger kids and teenagers between the ages of 3 and 17. Then, they looked specifically at information concerning the three types of injuries listed above - fractures, burns, and accidental poisonings. Here is what they found regarding those injuries and kids with ADHD:
- They are four times more likely to suffer injuries from an accidental poisoning;
- They are two times more likely to suffer burn injuries; and
- They have a 25% increased risk of suffering a fracture or broken bone.
What else should parents know about child injuries? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides some of the following facts and figures:
- Every year more than 12,000 kids in the U.S. die as a result of unintentional injuries, while at least 9.2 million require treatment in emergency departments for nonfatal injuries;
- Males are at higher risk of suffering an unintentional injury than females;
- Transportation-related injuries are the leading cause of fatal injuries in children;
- Suffocation deaths are most common in young children under the age of 1;
- Drowning is the most frequent cause of accidental death among kids aged 1 to 4;
- Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children aged 5 and older; and
- Falls are one of the most common causes of nonfatal injuries among kids of all age groups.
Was your child injured in an accident? You should speak with an experienced child injury lawyer about the possibility of filing a personal injury claim.
