How often does anxiety issues go along with ADHD?

Carole - posted on 01/31/2009

it goes hand in hand
my son aged 11 diagnosed when 5 gets very anxious
especially when we have change to routine

Amy - posted on 01/31/2009

Andrea,

I do not think it is uncommon.  When you child was diagnosed, the Vanderbilt Scales should have been used (questionnaire completed by both parent and teacher).  The questions on the form are geared toward identifying ADHD, Depression, Anxiety, ODD, CD, and more. 

Carolyn - posted on 01/27/2009

Hi there

My daughter is almost 5 and too has anxiety problems. I think her anxiety was caused by the outside influences. People around her, including her own family(granny, grandpa etc) making comments that are less that helpful and everyone blaming her for everything all the time. I think it has caused some insecurities and it has a lasting effect.

It makes me sad as the more I stand up for my daughter the more people see me as the mommy making excuses for her daughters "awful" behaviour.

Jenn - posted on 01/26/2009

Our son is 6 & has been diagnosed with ADHD & Anxiety. Apparently 30% of boys who have ADHD will also have anxiety.  Both run in the family for us, it's just too bad he had to end up with both....it's hard enough dealing with one. His Dr. has told us that both affect a different part of the brain which is why he has such a hard time dealing with everything. One part of his brain is telling him to do one thing, while the other part is saying the opposite. He has the ADHD side telling him to go, go, go & the anxiety side telling him to stop, stop, stop! I can't even imagine how it must feel for him. Everyday is such a struggle for him just to get through the day & if anything changes in the routine, you can just forget it!

Rachel - posted on 01/26/2009

Amy, thanks also for the good advice. We have are son in counseling which is a big help. However he also deals with health issues. Because of his health issues it is hard to figure out what exactly he is anxious about. He has recently been diagnosed with hypermobility and is being referred to a special hospital to find out how server. I feel so bad for him. I struggle with having to teach him he has to do things whether he is in pain or not. Now knowing he has ADHD helps me to understand why things are so hard for him at times. I have been asking the school for help and they kept telling me he was fine even though his grades were spiraling down. I recently had him privately tested and found out officially that he is ADHD. Now I finally feel we have a start. Please let me know if you have any other advise to help. It is calming talking to other parents with similar issues. thanks!

Stacee - posted on 01/26/2009

My 11 yr old was diagnosed ADHD with Anxiety and depression. I think logically they would go together. If I couldn't focus, and couldn't keep my energy bottled I'd be depressed and definatly have some anxiety. My son worries and can sometimes become obsessed with certain things. His anxiety levels can climb through the roof. I have seen some improvement with his ADHD med, but for the most part I think they just go together.

Amy - posted on 01/26/2009

I think it's pretty common at least in my experience. My 10 year old has a lot of anxiety. I think it is due to his knowlege that he's different than other kids, can't keep up with classwork like the other kids and feels disorganized all of the time. His counselor recommended keeping him on as much of a routine as possible to help alleviate the anxieties. So we try to keep a good structure to his day.  It's that "fear of the unknown". He feels so overwhelmed . So if he knows what to expect he can be calmer.  Their minds are feeling scattered inside and that's a scary feeling. The structure provides them with a feeling of security.  Give him breaks during homework to run around. Teach him breathing techniques to relax.. Music can be very relaxing. She also said not to overload him with too many instructions at one time, to break things down for him.   Tackle things one at a time. For example, instead of telling him to clean his room. Give one instruction at a time, such as pick up your cloths and take them to the hamper. When that task is complete move on to the next. She said to try to find things he's talented at and encourage him in those things to boost his self esteem. My son was diagnosed in the 3rd grade and is now in 5th. It's always a challenge. I knew he had it from 1st grade, but did not want to try meds. In third grade when his grades were falling, yet his teachers said he was so bright, I decided to consult his md. It took a year to find the right meds for him, but it made such a difference. He's so much happier now. It's like his head was in the clouds and now they've cleared. He actually likes school now, he used to hate it. He would get depressed because he wanted to do the right things but couldn't help his impulses.  Counseling helped him too. He went for about a year and we'd have some sessions with both of us there. It helped me to understand how his mind works and why he does what he does. Things aren't perfect, we still struggle with some things,  But overall things are better. Wishing you the best...

Rachel - posted on 01/26/2009

Hi, I have a 10 yr old with anxiety issues and he was just diagnosed with ADHD. He gets very anxious about everything. This makes some days very tough. I find that I have to have tough love and yet be compassionate. I struggle all the time with what to do for him. Do you seem to have the same issues?