ADHD Diagnoses on the Increase in the US

Two million more than just a few years ago

A new study reveals that the number of children in 2011-12 diagnosed with ADHD is 2 million higher in the US, compared with 2003-04. Additionally, 1 million more American children are taking medication for the disorder than previously.

The study was conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Using data from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), researchers calculated estimates of the number of children in the US between the ages of 4 and 17, whose parents reported their receipt of a diagnosis for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from a health care provider.