New survey results show that significantly more children have ADHD than in years past
A new study shows that nearly 1 in 10 children in the United States have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder or ADHD. That is a 22% increase in the last four years.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s lead author Susanna Visser they have based this information on parent surveys. The surveys show that in 2003 about 7.8 % of kids had been diagnosed with ADHD, while in 2007 it jumped to 9.5%. Although that doesn’t seem like a huge jump, that increase in percentage means that a million more children were diagnosed in the last 4 years.
It’s now estimated that 5.4 million American children have ADHD, and according to parents some 2.7 million are being medicated for their condition. The CDC survey covered children ages 4 to 17 years old. The rate of ADHD in older teens jumped dramatically with a 42 % increase.
Visser goes on to say there is a good chance that there are more kids out there that have not been diagnosed.
Scientists think that increase could be due to a growing awareness of the condition and better screening that is now in place.
ADHD is a condition that makes it hard for kids to pay attention or to control themselves. Nearly two thirds of children with ADHD take medication to help them focus and have control. The toughest part for any parent is to decide whether or not they will medicate their child. If they do decide to medicate their child, finding the exact right balance of medication takes time.
Doctors are trying to come up with new ways to treat these kids. The common treatment used to be Ritalin and Adderoll, both which are taken multiple times a day. Now doctors are trying more of a once a day approach.
