ADHD affects about 1 in 9 children in the United States

More than 7 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD. That’s about 1 million more children than were diagnosed in 2016, the last time national estimates were made.

But the increase isn’t necessarily cause for concern. “I don’t think it’s a very big increase,” he said. Scott Krakower Researchers at Northwell Health in New York, who was not involved in the study, said: [childhood ADHD] It has been hovering around 10% for years.

melissa danielson Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated the prevalence of childhood ADHD using a subset of data from the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health, which includes a nationally representative sample of more than 45,000 children ages 3 to 17 living in the United States.

Using this data, researchers estimated that in 2022, 7.1 million children in this age group in the U.S., or about 1 in 9 children, will have been diagnosed with ADHD. The same was true for about 6.1 million children in the United States, or about 1 in 10 of them. A previous study conducted in 2016 showed that the prevalence of this condition is increasing.

Danielson said the increase in diagnoses may be due in part to increased awareness of the disease. This may also be related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as many children switched to virtual school during the lockdown, making inattention and hyperactivity issues more salient for parents. Krakauer says it could have happened.

Researchers also found that by 2022, about 30% of children with ADHD will not be receiving treatment for the condition. In 2016, the same was true for just 23% of children with ADHD.

Danielson said the difference could reflect the impact of the coronavirus lockdown, as behavioral therapy is commonly provided through schools. It could also be the result of continued shortages of ADHD medications, she said.

“Maybe there was a sudden surge in awareness and not enough treatment to keep up with it,” Krakauer said.