8.7% Of US Kids May Have ADHD, Half Of Whom Are Undiagnosed

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Main Category: ADHD
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Psychology / Psychiatry
Article Date: 03 Sep 2007 - 13:00 PDT

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Although less than 4% of US 8 to 15 year olds receive treatment for ADHD, experts estimate that 8.7% of children in that age-group meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). You can read about this in a report published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine (JAMA/Archive journals).

The authors write that despite widespread concern that the rate for ADHD is on the rise, the national population-based prevalence of ADHD in American children has not been firmly established.

A child (person) with ADHD typically is impulsive, has an inability to pay attention to tasks - this affects achievement at school (and work) as well as social behaviors.

Tanya E. Froehlich, M.D., of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and team looked at a representative group of 3,082 children aged 8-15 - from which they could extrapolate national figures. During 2001-2004 the children's parents, guardians and other caregivers were interviewed by telephone. The interviewees provided information on each child's ADHD symptoms. This included information, when relevant, of when symptoms first appeared and reports on any impairment they cause during the previous twelve months. The researchers also managed to find out whether each child had ever been diagnosed with ADHD and treated for it with medication.

They estimated that 2.4 million children (8.7%) across the USA met the criteria for ADHD during the twelve month period before the survey began. They discovered that ADHD seems to be less common among Hispanics, when compared to the white population, boys have a higher risk of developing ADHD. However, they also found that girls with ADHD were less likely than boys with ADHD to have their condition recognized. Only 49.7% of children who met the ADHD criteria had ever been diagnosed with the condition prior to the survey.

The poorest 20% of the children were more likely to have ADHD than the richest 20%, the scientists found.

The writers added "Reasons for the increased likelihood of ADHD in poorer children may include the elevated prevalence of ADHD risk factors (i.e., premature birth and in utero or childhood exposures to toxic substances) in this group. In addition, given the high heritability of ADHD and its negative impact on social, academic and career outcomes, it is plausible that families with ADHD may cluster within the lower socioeconomic strata."

Of those who meet the ADHD criteria, the researchers discovered that 39% had been given some kind of ADHD targeted medication, while 32% had been treated consistently with medications during the precious twelve months.

The writers conclude that their study "warrants further investigation and possible intervention to ensure that all children with ADHD have equitable access to treatment when appropriate."

The study was funded by:
-- an Ambulatory Pediatrics Association Young Investigator Grant
-- a National Research Service Award grant
-- a grant from the National Institutes of Health
-- a Robert Wood Johnson Generalist Physician Faculty Scholars Award

-- Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine

Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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