Key points
- 7m US children diagnosed with ADHD
- ADHD common mental disorder affecting children
- It can lead to poor self-esteem and social function
ISLAMABAD: An estimated seven million (11.4 per cent) US children aged 3–17 years have so far been diagnosed with ADHD, according to a national survey of parents using data from 2022.
This means every one in nine children in the above-mentioned age bracket suffers from the disorder.
The ratio is two to three times higher than in other Western countries. As per the survey, the number of Americans suffering from ADH is in the millions.
In 2022, an additional 1 million US children aged 3-17 years had ever received an ADHD diagnosis compared to 2016, it revealed.
What is ADHD?
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, symptoms of ADHD include inattention (not being able to keep focus), hyperactivity (excess movement that is not fitting to the setting) and impulsivity (hasty acts that occur at the moment without thought).
ADHD is considered a chronic and debilitating disorder and is known to impact the individual in many aspects of their life including academic and professional achievements, interpersonal relationships, and daily functioning.
ADHD can lead to poor self-esteem and social function in children when not appropriately treated.
Adults with ADHD may experience poor self-worth, sensitivity towards criticism, and increased self-criticism possibly stemming from higher levels of criticism throughout life. Of note, ADHD presentation and assessment in adults differs; this page focuses on children.
Sex, race and ethnicity
Boys (15 per cent) were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls (8 per cent). Black children and White children were more often diagnosed with ADHD (both 12 per cent) than Asian children (4 per cent).
American Indian/Alaska Native children (10 per cent) were also more often diagnosed with ADHD than Asian children.
Approximately 6 per cent of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children were diagnosed with ADHD.
Overall, non-Hispanic children (12 per cent) were diagnosed with ADHD more often than Hispanic children (10 per cent).
ADHD symptoms can vary in severity. About 6 in 10 children had moderate or severe ADHD.
Children with both ADHD and other co-occurring conditions, such as behavioural or conduct problems, learning disorders, anxiety, or depression, more often had severe ADHD than children with ADHD without other co-occurring conditions.
