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ADHD & Development
Does attention in ADHD improve with age?
Charles Li MD
February 24, 2023
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Generally, ADHD symptoms tend to get better as we mature and learn to cope.
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However, difficulties with attention tend to take longer to improve than other symptoms.
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Studies have shown that many children with ADHD will improve to the point where their attention symptoms no longer meet the full criteria for ADHD. However, most will struggle with difficulties with attention from time to time.
Out of all the symptoms of ADHD, inattention usually sticks around the longest.
One study found that hyperactivity tends to improve in most children with ADHD by the time they reach adulthood.
However, only 39% showed significant improvements in attention.
A study of 128 boys found that hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms of ADHD were more likely to get better compared to difficulties with attention.
ADHD symptoms are generally split between attention deficit and hyperactivity.
This study provided some of the first evidence that different types of symptoms recover at different rates.
Most of the study participants continued to meet the criteria for ADHD at age 18 for inattention, as shown by the red line:
As shown by the green line, nearly all participants experienced some impacts from inattention in their lives as adults.
Almost nobody in the study fully recovered from inattention by the time they reached age 18, even though the majority no longer met the ADHD criteria for hyperactivity.
The DSM on inattention in adulthood
This finding is consistent with the DSM-5, a professional manual in psychiatry.
These experts state that hyperactivity typically subsides or becomes less apparent as children with ADHD grow up, while difficulties with attention often persist.
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In most individuals with ADHD, symptoms of motoric hyperactivity become less obvious in adolescence and adulthood, but difficulties with restlessness, inattention, poor planning, and impulsivity persist. A substantial proportion of children with ADHD remain relatively impaired into adulthood.
DSM-5
Does inattention get better over time?
Over time, kids with ADHD should expect improvement in inattention and other ADHD symptoms.
One study found that most kids with ADHD will grow out of persistent ADHD and experience periods of their lives where their ADHD symptoms subside significantly.
However, in this study, most participants also continued to experience effects from their ADHD symptoms from time to time, even as young adults, settling into a fluctuating status pattern.
Most with ADHD will experience some periods of improvement over time. However, recurrence is common.
Key takeaways
In general, ADHD symptoms tend to get better over time. While few fully grow out of ADHD, most will see some improvement.
Unfortunately, difficulties with attention tend to stick around the longest. Attention symptoms can persist well into adulthood. If you have or suspect that you might have ADHD, be sure to talk to your doctor. Treatment and therapy can help in many cases.