ADHD Diagnoses Rising
By Anne Dachel - visit Anne's Substack here.
The big news about kids and developmental health is more ADHD, lots more. Of course no one is in a panic, and, you guessed it, it’s due to GREATER AWARENESS, the effects of COVID, modern living, etc.
The increase, unlike autism, is described as real. More kids really do have ADHD, but like autism, this is acceptable.
Officials describe the rise in ADHD as an “ongoing and expanding public health concern,” which sounds similar to their reference to autism as “a serious public health concern” many times in the past. The message is, of course, nothing here is a crisis.
May 24th, Scripps News: CDC reports sharp rise in ADHD diagnoses among children during the pandemic; 1 in 9 children ages 3-17 were diagnosed with ADHD as of 2022, study finds.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder cases have risen considerably in the U.S., according to a new study by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention..
The study released on Wednesday said 1 in 9 children ages 3-17 had been diagnosed with the disorder at some point in their life as of 2022.
Roughly 5.4 million kids actively had ADHD in 2016, but just six years later, the number had increased to over 6.5 million. The jump in diagnoses may be good as kids are getting screened more.
COVID
The study notes, however, that the pandemic might have had a role in the higher number of children diagnosed with ADHD.
"Children experiencing symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety during the pandemic may also exhibit symptoms of inattention and impulsivity, potentially leading to a diagnosis of ADHD when other diagnoses may be more appropriate," the study says.
AD: This week, we will continue to share Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill's book, Denial: How Refusing to Face the Facts about Our Autism Epidemic Hurts Children, Families, and Our FutureDenial: How Refusing to Face the Facts about Our Autism Epidemic Hurts Children, Families, and Our Future
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Mild is less than half of those affected
Of children diagnosed with ADHD, 41.9% had mild ADHD, 45.3% moderate ADHD, and 12.8% severe ADHD, the study said.
Greater awareness
Researchers say becoming more aware of ADHD symptoms makes cases easier to identify. There are also more treatments available these days, giving doctors more reason to test and diagnose children.
We have drugs for this
The CDC said that medication is the most common form of treatment among children and adolescents with ADHD. In 2016, approximately 62% of children with ADHD were being treated with medicine.
Learn the signs
The CDC says that common signs of ADHD include when a child might daydream a lot, forget or lose things a lot, squirm or fidget, talk too much, make careless mistakes or take unnecessary risks, have a hard time resisting temptation, have trouble taking turns and have difficulty getting along with others.
The news came out everywhere, here and abroad.
Fox News: ADHD affects 1 in 9 kids in US, new report reveals: ‘Shame and stigma’; Experts share potential reasons for the spike — and how parents can help
Diagnoses of ADHD continue to rise among U.S. youth, affecting one in every nine U.S. kids. . . .
"Pediatric ADHD remains an ongoing and expanding public health concern, as approximately one million more children had ever received an ADHD diagnosis in 2022 than in 2016," the researchers wrote.
Among the children who currently have the disorder, more than 58% have moderate or severe ADHD, and nearly 78% have at least one other disorder, the study found. . . .
Just over 30% had not received any treatment for ADHD, the study also found. . . .
"It is more common in boys, children living in lower-income households, children with public health insurance and children living in rural areas."
Why the rise in ADHD?
Dr. Tasha M. Brown, a New York child psychologist and owner and founder of TMB Psych Services, said the findings did not surprise her.
"There is so much more conversation around mental health and what symptoms of ADHD look like," Brown, who was not involved in the study, told
"As a result, I think parents and caregivers are more aware of what to look for, and they are reaching out to providers for answers and a diagnosis sooner rather than later." . . .
Lisa Sheinhouse, director of community programs at Ohel Children's Home and Family Services in New York, agreed that there is more awareness and education about neurodivergent disorders like ADHD and autism.
"Our society has learned to let go of the shame and stigma around these diagnoses, and that's empowered parents to become more informed and ask for help," Sheinhouse, who was also not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. . . .
Fox News video:
Dr. Kevin Gilliland, clinical psychologist:
. . . We see the onset of it typically in early adolescence, in that 10, 11 ,12, 13 years of age to the degree that it impairs their ability to function . .
Anchor:
What is causing this increase in cases?
Gilliland:
That’s a good question. We’ve been on a slow trend up, but I think the most significant thing from this study is seeing the impact that our environment and behavior on our psychological health.
Blame the lockdown
Another way to look at it is, our adolescents struggle with the same things we do as adults, and our environment has a significant impact. We’ve seen this trend and what changed for them was their world got turned upside down, and all the things that was really good for them, got stripped away.
If society is fine with having three to five percent of children with autism, it’s a safe bet that having almost 10 percent of kids with ADHD is acceptable too.
BUT there is a dark side to this. Millions of kids in America take daily medication for ADHD, and we really don’t know about the possible side effects.
Health News: ADHD Cases Soar But Medications May Carry Risks
Health experts say ADHD is an "expanding health concern" in the United States after national survey data showed that one million more children were diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 than in 2016.
While genetic, environmental, and social factors may play a role in the development of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), scientists still don't know for sure what causes the condition. Despite the unknowns about how it develops, the number of children diagnosed with ADHD continues to grow.
For example, data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released in March 2024 suggests that 11.3% or one in 10 American childrenhave an ADHD diagnosis. In 2000, 6 to 8% of American children had the disorder, and that percentage jumped to approximately 9 to 10% in 2018.
Even higher number
However, according to a new analysis published on May 22 in the Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, that number may be even higher. The researchers say the results provide more evidence that ADHD "remains an ongoing and expanding public health concern." . . .
ADHD meds and heart damage. . .
ADHD medications linked to heart risks
The data analysis also revealed that just over 50% of youngsters with a current ADHD diagnosis take medication for the disorder, and around 44% had received behavioral therapy in the past year. However, approximately 30% did not receive any ADHD-specific treatment.
Medications to treat ADHD include stimulant drugs such as amphetamine and dextroamphetamine (Adderall) and non-stimulants like atomoxetine (Strattera) or guanfacine (Intuniv).
Some research suggests that ADHD drugs may reduce the risk of mortality from unintentional injury, drug and alcohol overdose, and other unnatural causes. However, their impact on heart health has raised concerns among scientists.
For example, a 2023 study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that people who used ADHD medications for five years or more had a 23% increased risk of developing heart disease. The scientists say the increased high blood pressure and arterial disease risk associated with stimulant drugs may contribute to the higher cardiovascular disease risk found in the study.
In addition, a study recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found more associations between heart disease risks and ADHD medications.
Specifically, adults receiving ADHD drugs for the first time had an increased 10-year risk for stroke, heart failure, and other cardiovascular issues. Moreover, the risk rose as dosages increased.
The study's authors say that healthcare providers should consider a person's heart disease risk factors when prescribing medications, especially higher dosages over an extended period.
With the increasing prevalence of ADHD among children, further studies are needed to determine whether long-term use of ADHD medications among people in this age group poses similar heart-related health risks.
I was actually surprised that this got coverage. I can imagine a group of researchers is currently working on a study to show that ADHD medications actually reduce the risk of cardiac problems. We’ll have to wait and see.
Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism.
ADHD = big money . Many people with real ADHD do not get the help they are mandated by law. many with fake ADHD get off ion committing crimes with lite punishments
Angus you seem to be from the UK. What is the autism rate in Chubut state in Argentina. That state is heavy Celtic influenced. I bet the ADHD and Autism rate is a lot lower in Chubut thanks to more conservative diagnostic criteria and laws related to disability pension and special education.
Posted by: Bill | June 06, 2024 at 08:42 AM
I agree with Angus--Read Anne Dachel if you want to know where to point the finger including the middle one.
Posted by: michael | June 05, 2024 at 06:43 PM
Thanks again Anne over here things just keep falling of a cliff,but who could forsee it???well all they had to do was come on here and read your articles.
Nearly 40% of Scottish pupils have additional support needs amid 'national scandal' warning
Teaching and classroom unions have joined parents in pleading for more SNP Government support for the 40% of Scottish youngsters who need additional help at school... despite record funding of almost £1billion last year
https://www.scottishdailyexpress.co.uk/news/scottish-news/one-four-scottish-pupils-additional-32960868
Pharma For Prison
MMR RIP
Posted by: Angus Files | June 05, 2024 at 05:59 AM
Thank you Anne for the article.
A lot of people think ADHD is not real. Oh, but it is. The claim is that little boys were not meant to sit in a class room all day. I am sure that is true, but that does not result in ADHD.
I witnessed my own son as a tiny baby not in school moving about with ADHD.
It was not normal that a baby, a toddler, just moves about with out a goal, just to move. Wears everyone around them out.
As for giving these babies meth (that is basically what we are giving our kids) ,as a teenager he started having high blood pressure. We had to take him off of it. I don't think it works after the first few weeks anyway. I think the body gets use to it. If you give a higher dose - as in our case, I found my son talking about ticky things all in his hair, then he started pulling it out, leaving ball spots. . So much of pharma drugs.
Posted by: Benedetta | May 31, 2024 at 08:39 AM