Adhd

[mogwai]

My son is 14 years old and diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactive disorder. He currently takes Concerta xl slow release methylphenidate to help his condition. He is also taken an interest in diving, including a try dive in Turkey last year. This was before i became a qualified diver myself and thus had no idea about the possibility of him being at risk in the water. Before looking at progressing his diving i need to find out if it is possiblefor him to dive at all. Either medicated, unmedicated or if it is just a case of no go. Any info would be off enormous help.

 

[Lloyd]

As you know, ADHD has a range of behavioral manifestations. It is impossible to make a blanket statement about ADHD and diving. His psychiatrist or psychologist and you will need to evaluate his fitness to dive. Look at such areas as: can he plan his dive and dive his plan? Or will he get distracted? Can he monitor his condition and his partner's? Will he lose his partner and run out of air? Can he handle emergencies?

My son is the same age and has ADHD and can dive quite well and very safely. I have seen other people with ADHD who should never dive.

Hope this helps.
Lloyd

 

[DocVikingo]

As a mental health professional, I will add the following to the comments made by Lloyd (who is an eye doctor):

The decision on diving with ADHD, medicated or not, is made on a case by case basis. An individual with this disorder would need formal medical clearance in order to proceed with scuba training of any sort.

The following introduction to diving with a mental/behavioral disorder written by Dr. Ern Campbell (aqua Scubadoc) provides a good orientation to the issues:


"Little research has been done to factualize the relationship between mental conditions and scuba diving. Other than the obvious proscriptions against someone diving that is out of touch with reality, severely depressed and suicidal or paranoid with delusions and hallucinations---one has to consider the many who can dive with everyday anxieties, fears and neuroses.

Successful divers have a profile that is positively correlated to intelligence, is characterized by a level of neuroticism that is average or below average, and score well on studies of self-sufficiency and emotional stability.

There are some actual psychological disturbances that are well known to all but which are poorly studied and documented as concerns the risks of scuba diving. These include the depressions, bipolar disorder, anxiety and phobic states, panic disorders, narcolepsy and schizophrenia.

In addition to the risks caused by the condition itself, one must add the possible hazards of effects and side effects of medications - either as taken singly or even more dangerous, in combination. Needless to say, there have been and probably will not be good scientific studies that will indicate the safety or danger of any given set of conditions and drugs. The role of medication in diving is usually less important than the condition for which the medication is being used. A mood-altering medication is plainly powerful and should be used with care in diving. Drugs that carry warnings as dangerous for use while driving or using hazardous equipment should also be thought of as dangerous for divers. The interaction between the physiological effects of diving and the pharmacological effects of medications is usually an educated supposition. Each situation will have to be carefully evaluated individually, and there is no general rule that applies to all.

Finally, every diver has his own personality makeup, which may respond differently to abnormal physiological states and changes in the environment from the effects of various gases under pressure. Such states as inert gas narcosis, carbon dioxide toxicity, oxygen toxicity, HPNS, deep water blackout all can cause reactions that are similar to a psychoneurotic reaction or one of the organic cerebral syndromes. Therefore the diver, the dive instructor and the certifying physician all must be aware of the all the possibilities and protean manifestations of each and every individual case before allowing or disallowing diving with psychological problems."


All divers must show attention, concentration, impulse control & behavioral modulation that are fully adequate to meet the demands of safe scuba, and this obviously is a concern with those diagnosed & treated for ADHD.

In addition, there are unanswered questions regarding the possible effects of stimulant drugs such as methylphenidate. High among them is what effect they may have on the development of oxygen toxicity secondary to the elevated partial pressures of 02 that are an inherent part of breathing compressed air, and more so nitrox, at depth.

This is educational only and does not constitute or imply a doctor-patient relationship. It is not medical advice to you or any other individual, and should not be construed as such.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[mogwai]

Excellent guys, has given me a good start and a direction to go in to give him the chance of diving. Thanks for the info.

 

[flw]

My youngest is adhd/aspergers, and while he is simply quite the best wee boy on the planet, even when at his calmest best, there is simply no way I'd chance taking him diving - even though he's tried it in the pool and loved it.
He also takes concerta, which in Scotland isn't usually the first form tried, which implies his condition has been harder to control. Leaving aside the side effects of the methylphenidate, he'd forget to monitor his air/depth etc and would be unlikley to cope if something unexpected happened. Much as I'd love to take him diving, he's at an age when they can be a bit unpredictable normally, even more so if hindered by attention,hyperactivity and impulsiveness, so we go fishing instead.

 

[DocVikingo]

Of course the additional diagnosis of Asperger Syndrome somewhat alters the picture.

While still on a case by case basis, I suspect that the vast majority of young men with bona fide diagnoses of both ADHD & Asperger Syndrome would be found unsuitable candidates for scuba. Those with a sole diagnosis of ADHD very likely stand a better chance of securing medical clearance to dive.

In any event, I must say that I find your attitude/handling of the situation uplifting and your suggestion of fishing a capital idea.

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[Bobby Demosthenis]

I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 4 and have been diving since I was 12 years old. I only recently found out about this, and I went to see my psychiologist and the consultant who originally diagnosed me. They cleared me to dive. This was a heart breaker when I found out, diving is my life as it were, its an addictive drug one I intend to 'deal' in the very near future.

I will be doing my own research into the effects of Concerta XL (my own mediciation) and the affects at depth, I have also got into contact with the company who have been most helpful.

I'd say speak to your or sons/daughters consultant. If I was told I wouldn't ever be able to dive again I'd be heartbroken it would be like telling me that I was going to die in 2 weeks.

Thank god I was cleared!

Bobby

 

[Mr.X]

I'd just like to add that I found this a most informative and positive thread. I had a student who I trained for four years to qualify for a basic cert. He failed during the first three. He came close, but never quite made it. He had ADHD & took medications.

Over the course of four years he gave it his best shot(s) and in the 4th summer he qualified in the most splendid manner. In short, the combined efforts of his parents, time, doctors, instructors and his remarkable determination made it happen. The last I heard he was doing commercial diving work.

So in summary, it's all about making the effort and being earnest.

Cheers,

X - NAUI/PADI/IANTD Instructor Trainer

 

[DocVikingo]

I will be doing my own research into the effects of Concerta XL (my own mediciation) and the affects at depth, I have also got into contact with the company who have been most helpful.

Hi Bobby,

That is good news.

It would be helpful to us on the Diving Medicine forum if you could post the results of your research, including the specific material provided by the manufacturer of Concerta XL (Janssen-Cilag Ltd).

Thank you.

DocVikingo

 

[Bobby Demosthenis]

Hi Bobby,

That is good news.

It would be helpful to us on the Diving Medicine forum if you could post the results of your research, including the specific material provided by the manufacturer of Concerta XL (Janssen-Cilag Ltd).

Thank you.

DocVikingo

I have phoned them again today and they said that it has just appeared in there database and that means that Medical Information have become to look into my query and funnyily the lady I spoke to said she had been working there for 10 years and had never heard that specific question asked before, but I will of course do as you have asked.

I am going to cordinate my research with my certifying Instructor who has known me since I did my Advanced Open Water and nearly my whole 9 years as a diver, its something we have decided to incorporate into my Divemaster, but I promise.

Could one of the mods pin this? So it doesn't get lost, etc, and any contact I have with the company and any information they give me can be put here!

Thank you,

Bobby