The diagnosis of ADHD increased from 6.1% in 1997-1998 to 10.2% in 2015-2016 across age, gender, race/ethnicity, income and geography, but is notably twice as high in girls and Hispanic children and has more than doubled for Black children, according to a study just published in the JAMA Network Open. (George, Cindy. September 7, 2018. ADHD on the rise in the U.S. Texas Medical Center News.)
Several Texas Medical Center experts said the analysis confirmed the trends they have observed over the last two decades. “Many parents recognize that they have it, so they are willing to let their kids be diagnosed.” according to Memorial Hermann Health System child psychiatrist Carlos Guerra, M.D.
ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children, according to the American Psychiatric Association, with symptoms including inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. “If a parent has ADHD, their likelihood of having a child with ADHD is very high. If a mother smokes or uses alcohol or drugs or has poor nutrition or was under significant stress during her pregnancy, it increases the risk of the child being diagnosed with ADHD.” said Adiaha I. A. Spinks-Franklin, M.D., MPH, a developmental-behavioral pediatrician at Texas Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of developmental pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine.
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