New report finds 43 percent increase in ADHD diagnosis
for US schoolchildren

Girls showed a sharp rise in ADHD diagnosis during
eight-year study period

Twelve percent of US children
and teens had a diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in
2011, a number that has jumped by 43 percent since 2003, according to a large
national study based on parental reports of an ADHD diagnosis.

Twelve percent of U.S. children and teens had a diagnosis
of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in 2011, a number that has
jumped by 43 percent since 2003, according to a large national study based on
parental reports of an ADHD diagnosis. This analysis suggests that 5.8 million
U.S. children ages 5 to 17 now have this diagnosis, which can cause inattention
and behavioral difficulties, says lead researcher Sean D. Cleary, PhD, MPH, an
associate professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Milken Institute
School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington
University.

The research also uncovered a surprising increase in ADHD
among girls during the study time frame. “We found the parent-reported
prevalence for girls diagnosed with ADHD rose from 4.3 percent in 2003 to 7.3
percent in 2011. That’s an increase of 55 percent over an eight year
period,” Cleary says, adding: “Traditionally, boys have been more
likely to get a diagnosis of ADHD.”

The report, published online in The Journal of
Clinical Psychiatry, was based on data sponsored by the Maternal and Child
Health Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics of the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention in a National Children’s Survey from
2003-2011. Cleary and his co-author Kevin P. Collins of Mathematica Policy
Research mined the data looking for trends in parent-reported prevalence of
ADHD.

“We found rising rates of ADHD overall and very
sharp jumps in certain subgroups,” Cleary said, adding that for
adolescents the diagnosis jumped by 52 percent since 2003. “Parents should
be made aware of the findings in case they have a child or teenager that should
be evaluated for the disorder, which can persist into adulthood.”

This study was not designed to look at the underlying
reasons for such changes in prevalence, Cleary said. The reported increase in
the diagnosis could be a true increase in the number of ADHD diagnoses or it
could be the result of a tendency to over-diagnose the condition. Additional
research will need to be done to find out why there has been a rise in the
diagnosis, with special attention being paid to certain groups, Cleary said.

Cleary and Collins looked at data taken from the National
Survey of Children’s Health, a nationally representative cross-sectional survey
that collected information on the health of children aged 17 and younger. They
focused on a question in the survey that asked parents if a doctor or another
health care provider had told them that their child had ADHD. The researchers
also kept track of race/ethnicity and whether the children were boys or girls
and other relevant sociodemographic factors that have previously been found to
be related to ADHD diagnosis.

There have been very few previous studies looking at the
prevalence of this disorder among different racial or ethnic groups, Cleary
said. This study did hone in on such subgroups finding the prevalence of
parent-reported ADHD had risen by about 83 percent in Hispanic youth during the
eight year study period. “Additional studies must be done to identify the
underlying cause of the increase,” Cleary says. In the meantime, he says
that parents should be aware of all of the issues surrounding a diagnosis of
ADHD and talk to their doctor if they have concerns about a child’s ability to
focus or behavior.

The question of why the condition seems to be increasing
is important because the diagnosis often comes with a prescription for a
stimulant drug like Ritalin. Such drugs can help children and adults with ADHD
focus and stay on task. However, critics worry that the drugs may be
over-prescribed.

Children with ADHD may have trouble with paying attention
in class or at home and they might also be impulsive or prone to making
careless mistakes. They can also be forgetful and, if nothing is done, the
condition can lead to difficulties at school, at home and in social situations,
according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The report can be found online
at:http://www.psychiatrist.com/jcp/article/Pages/2015/aheadofprint/14m09364.aspx

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