ADHD On The Rise

New CDC Report Shows Significant Increase

Almost one out of every ten kids in the U.S.A. is diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and it seems that the rate will continue to grow. This is according to a report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) November 10, 2010.

The CDC says that the percentage of kids aged 4-17 who were diagnosed with ADHD rose from 7.8% to 9.5% between the years 2003-2007. This represents an increase of 22%. The largest increase was seen among Hispanics and in teens aged 15-17.

The details listed in the new report were based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, a survey of the nation’s parents conducted by telephone. However, it isn’t clear whether the rise in the number of diagnoses stems from a true increase in the number of ADHD cases, or because ADHD has at last found a niche in the public awareness. If the increase in the number of cases reflects a true increase, there is concern that the burgeoning number of new cases may be due to environmental or social factors.

Contributory Factors

Lead author of the report, Susanna Visser says that contributory factors might include premature delivery, low birth weight or even lead exposure. All of these factors have been found to have an association with ADHD symptoms. “This collection of risk factors could be moving in a direction that causes certain demographic groups to have higher rates of ADHD. We have to figure out what’s driving the change,” says Visser, an epidemiologist at the CDC.

Understanding the origins of this new trend in ADHD will necessitate long-term studies of children and must also include imaging and genetic studies, says Visser. She adds that the National Institutes for Health (NIH) already have several such studies in progress.

While the rate of ADHD rose in all 50 states, the most striking increases were to be found in 12 states including Colorado, Indiana, and North Carolina. Visser says the 12 states appear to be responsible for the overall national increase in ADHD. In North Carolina, which was found to have the highest number of ADHD cases in the United States, the rate of ADHD rose from 9.6% to 15.6%, an increase of around 63%. Other states with high rates of ADHD diagnosis include Alabama (14%), Delaware (14%), Ohio (13%), West Virginia (13%), and Arkansas (13%).

Around half of the children diagnosed with ADHD were said to have a moderate or severe case, and two-thirds of the kids with ADHD were on medication for the disorder. The report estimates that there are 2.7 million 4-17 year-olds on ADHD drugs which comes to 5% of all children of this age group, nationwide.

If parents have concerns about their children’s behavior, they should seek a physician’s advice. Visser says that in consultation with doctors and school experts, the symptoms of ADHD can and should be managed and controlled.

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