US: 1 in 9 children diagnosed with ADHD, surge since 2016

According to a new CDC research, by 2022, more than 7 million children and adolescents in the United States will have been diagnosed with ADHD. That’s one out of every nine children. And there are one million more children than in 2016.

The study indicated that 58.1% of children with current ADHD had moderate or severe ADHD, whereas 77.9% had at least one co-occurring condition. Co-occurring disorders included behavioral issues like anxiety or depression, as well as developmental issues like a learning handicap or speech delay.

ADHD is a condition characterized by problems paying attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. It begins in childhood and may continue throughout maturity.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, emphasizes the importance of pediatric ADHD as a long-term public health concern, with researchers reporting an increase of about one million children diagnosed with ADHD between 2016 and 2022.

Despite being frequently prescribed alone or in conjunction with drugs, only about half of children with present ADHD, 53.6%, had used medication and 44.4% had received behavioral therapy in the previous year, according to parent replies.

According to the study, nearly one-third of children, or 30.1%, received no ADHD-specific treatment. Furthermore, older children aged 12 to 17 were more likely than younger children aged 6 to 11 to remain untreated. Children from non-English speaking households were also less likely to report receiving treatment.

“The prevalence of diagnosed ADHD varies by sociodemographic factors,” the researchers stated, according to Fox News.

“It is more common in boys, children living in lower-income households, children with public health insurance and children living in rural areas.”

According to the authors, there are several possible explanations for the increase in diagnosis. For starters, because public understanding of ADHD has evolved over time, more children may be appropriately identified with ADHD. Second, there may be less stigma associated with ADHD therapy.

Finally, the scientists speculated that the COVID-19 pandemic may have played an impact, with poor mental health during the pandemic potentially worsening ADHD symptoms in many youngsters.

The scientists observed that children with ADHD are more likely to have poor adult health outcomes such as obesity, chronic illness, and unintentional damage.

While medication remains an option for controlling ADHD symptoms, experts emphasized the importance of comprehensive treatment options, such as therapy and behavioral treatments, in improving children’s functioning and well-being.