Rising ADHD Rates in Children: Understanding the Surge

The prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among children in the United States has surged, with recent data revealing that as of 2022, approximately 1 in 9 children had been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives. This equates to roughly 6.5 million children aged 3 to 17, marking a significant increase from 5.4 million in 2016.

**Study Insights**

A comprehensive study, published in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, analyzed responses from over 45,000 participants in the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health. The study’s lead author, Melissa Danielson, a statistician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), attributes the rise in diagnoses to several factors:

1. **Increased Awareness:** Greater awareness among doctors, parents, and educators has led to more frequent identification of ADHD symptoms.
2. **Expanded Treatment Options:** The availability of more treatment methods encourages healthcare providers to diagnose and manage ADHD more proactively.
3. **Pandemic Effects:** The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated ADHD symptoms or allowed parents to observe their children more closely, leading to increased diagnoses.

“There’s more providers that are comfortable with making those diagnoses and treating ADHD, which can allow for children to be helped by different medications or behavior therapy or school services,” Danielson explained. “Since there are more opportunities for these kids to be helped, I think there’s more incentive to get that kind of diagnosis.”

**Broader Diagnoses and Impacts**

Experts like Dr. Willough Jenkins from Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego note that improved recognition of ADHD, especially in girls and older children, has contributed to the rise in diagnoses. Historically, ADHD was seen primarily as a disorder affecting young, hyperactive boys, but this perception has evolved significantly.

Thomas Power, director of the Center for Management of ADHD at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, highlighted the pandemic’s role in making ADHD symptoms more visible due to the stress of remote learning and disrupted routines. “Particularly for children who had some mild attention difficulties, learning in that type of context would be that much more challenging and could be enough to trigger an attention-deficit disorder,” Power said.

Yamalis Diaz, a child and adolescent psychologist at NYU Langone’s Child Study Center, emphasized that the prolonged observation period during lockdowns helped parents identify their children’s struggles. “Parents are now observing, ‘My gosh, my child interrupts me 50 times a day just to do one task,’” Diaz noted.

**Social Media and Screen Time**

Social media discussions on ADHD increased during the pandemic, which might have led to more self-diagnoses among older children. Danielson pointed out that excessive screen time, linked to higher ADHD risks, could also contribute to the trend. However, the primary drivers remain heightened awareness and better diagnostic practices.

**Changing Diagnostic Guidelines**

Changes in diagnostic guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association in 2013 have allowed more children to be diagnosed with ADHD, even if they also have autism or if their symptoms appeared before age 12. This broader criteria have enabled more children to access necessary treatments.

**Access to Treatment**

Despite the rise in diagnoses, the study found that 30% of children with ADHD in 2022 did not receive behavior therapy or medication, compared to 23% in 2016. The pandemic disrupted access to school-based behavior therapy, and an ongoing shortage of ADHD medications, partially due to high demand, has further complicated treatment access. The FDA has reported resolving some shortages recently, but challenges persist.

**Future Considerations**

As ADHD diagnoses continue to rise, experts underscore the importance of ensuring that children receive appropriate and timely treatments. “It’s possible that parents would have wanted to or tried and just could not get access to good treatment,” Diaz concluded, highlighting the ongoing need for accessible mental health services.