The United States now has 5.4 million children who have been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That is nearly one in 10 school age children with an ADHD diagnosis.
Of those with a current ADHD diagnosis, approximately two-thirds were taking medication for ADHD.
The findings of the Nov. 10 CDC report indicate that a million more children who are 4-17 years of age had a parent-reported ADHD diagnosis by 2007 as compared to 2003. That’s a 22 percent increase in ADHD diagnosis in four years. In addition, significant increases in the rates of ADHD diagnosis among older teens and Hispanics suggest that health care providers may be managing a larger and different demographic than they were four years ago.
A statement by CDC says it will continue to investigate the variability noted in this report in order to characterize the public health impact of ADHD and improve the outcomes of children and families impacted by this disorder.
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