ADHD cases are up. 7 million U.S. kids have gotten a diagnosis, study finds : Shots

Approximately 1 in 9 children between the ages of 3 and 17 in the United States is diagnosed with ADHD. New reports A Call from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder “A growing public health concern.”

The researchers found that 7.1 million children and adolescents in the U.S. will have an ADHD diagnosis in 2022, 1 million more than in 2016. This spike in diagnoses wasn’t surprising given that the data was collected during the pandemic, says Melissa Danielson, a statistician at CDC’s National Center for Birth Anomalies and Developmental Disabilities and lead author of the study.

She points out that other studies have found that many children have experienced increased stress, depression and anxiety during the pandemic. “A lot of those diagnoses may be the result of a child receiving another diagnosis, such as anxiety or depression, and then the clinician identifying that the child also has ADHD,” Danielson says.

The increase in diagnoses comes amid increased awareness of ADHD and the many ways it manifests in children. Danielson said that may help explain why girls are being diagnosed with ADHD more often than boys in the past. She said boys have long been diagnosed with ADHD at about 2.5 times the rate of girls, but a new report finds that gap is closing.

Decades ago, ADHD was thought of as a hyperactivity disorder found in boys, Danielson said. “Boys often have ADHD because they’re hyperactive or impulsive, and they run into the road, jump off things, and do things that can put them at risk of injury,” Danielson said.

“Girls tend to exhibit ADHD in a more inattentive way. They may daydream, have trouble concentrating, or be hyper-focused on certain tasks that don’t require them to focus,” Danielson says.

This research Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, was based on data from National Children’s Health Surveyand collect detailed information from parents.

The report found that the number of kids diagnosed with ADHD has increased since 2016, but only about half of them are taking medication to treat the condition (compared to two-thirds of kids in 2016). The data doesn’t explore why that might be the case. That may be true, but Danielson points out that reports of shortages of ADHD medications began around the time the data was collected.

Dr. Max Wisnitzer, A professor of pediatric neurology at Case Western Reserve University said some parents may be reluctant to put their children on ADHD medications out of misplaced concerns. “There’s a myth that it’s addictive, but it’s actually not,” he says. Studies have shown that people who are treated for ADHD don’t have an increased risk of substance abuse, he says.

Wisnitzer said medication is important because it can help children concentrate by controlling symptoms such as impulsivity, hyperactivity and inattention. However, treating ADHD also requires therapy that can teach children and their parents behavioral and educational strategies to manage the condition. “It’s always his two-pronged approach,” he says. He takes issue with the report’s finding that fewer than half of children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD receive behavioral treatment.

The report also found that nearly 78 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD also had at least one other diagnosed disorder. The most common were behavioral or conduct problems, anxiety, and developmental delays. Autism and depression were also frequently observed, Danielson said.

Children with ADHD increased riskIt can lead to other symptoms such as depression, anxiety and substance abuse, and if left untreated, ADHD can Risk of serious health problemsWisnitzer said increasing awareness and diagnosis is important because the risk of diabetes and heart disease increases in adulthood and shortens life expectancy.

Danielson said parents can also find information about treatments and services. CHADD — Children and Adults with ADHDa nonprofit resource organization where Wiznitzer serves on the advisory board.

He says parents seeking treatment for their children should start by talking to their pediatrician.

This story was edited by Jane Greenhalgh.