A new CDC study showed an increase in ADHD diagnoses in children. A local doctor said this is a good sign more children are getting help.
SAN DIEGO — A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found one in nine children between the ages of three and 17 had been diagnosed with ADHD.
That’s an increase in diagnoses from years past, but some doctors see it as a good sign.
The study reported 7.1 million kids and adolescents had an ADHD , or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder diagnosis in 2022. That’s up one million from 2016.
Rady Children’s Hospital Child Psychiatrist Dr. Jenkins said the rise in diagnoses is because more people are coming in for evaluations.
"I think there’s really four reasons why this is the case," Jenkins said. "One is there’s increased awareness about ADHD. If you open your phone and you turn on social media, someone’s talking about ADHD."
Her other reasons were because stigma around mental health went down a lot, there’s increased access to healthcare professionals and the diagnostic criteria for ADHD changed.
RELATED: Rady Children’s Hospital says kids diagnosed with ADHD rose 30% since the pandemic
"It used to be you had to have symptoms under age seven and now it’s that you have to have symptoms under age 12, so it’s allowed for more children to receive the diagnosis," Jenkins said.Jenkin said classic symptoms of ADHD range from difficulty focusing, fidgeting and impulsivity."The signs of ADHD are much more visible in boys, you’re going to notice a child who’s hyperactive who can’t stay still who’s blurting out in class," Jenkins said. "But someone who has more inattentive symptoms, who might be daydreaming, they’re not going to be as visible and easy to be identified and picked up."The study noted previous data showed boys are diagnosed with ADHD far more than girls are. However, the most recent numbers in the study found the difference narrowed as doctors identified more symptoms in girls and women."The best place to start if you’re worried that your child has ADHD is seeing your pediatrician. Pediatricians actually diagnose and […]
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