Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, who receive medication, have reduced odds for dangerous accidents that can get them hospitalized compared with their counterparts who do not receive treatment.

Researchers also said that besides reducing accidental injuries, medication can also help children with ADHD to do better in school albeit many of those who are not on medication may also do well provided that their guardians and teachers know of the issues and are able to address them appropriately.

James Leckman, from the Yale School of Medicine, and colleagues looked at the data of over 700,000 people, which includes 4,557 children who were diagnosed with ADHD when they were between five and 10 years old.

Of these children with ADHD, about a quarter is on medication for their condition, which often comes in the form of the stimulant methylphenidate (Ritalin).

By examining the injury rates when the children were ages 5, 10 and 12, the researchers found that those who take medications had reduced risk of injury falling from 19 percent 14 percent from the time they were 5 years old to when they reach 10 years old. Those who do not take medication, on the other hand, had 17 percent odds for injury at both ages.

Children who have ADHD have increased risks of injuries than other children. Fall injuries, for instance, tend to be common for younger ADHD patients while older children often experience bicycle or car accidents.

The researchers said that their findings are important given that accidents are often the cause of untimely deaths for those with ADHD.

"Children with ADHD had an increased risk of injuries compared with other children. Treatment with ADHD drugs reduced the risk of injuries by up to 43% and emergency ward visits by up to 45% in children with ADHD," Leckman and colleagues wrote in their study published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal on July 21. "Taken together with previous findings of accidents being the most common cause of death in individuals with ADHD, these results are of major public health importance."

The researchers, however, said that parents can still prevent injuries by being aware of the times when their kids are at greatest risk such as when they are subjected to peer pressure, when there are no adult supervision or when drugs and alcohol are available. Parents should also encourage their child to observe precautions.

Figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that less than one in three children with ADHD are treated with medication treatment and behavioral therapy, the prescribed approach for children who are 6 years and older. 

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