Why Are ADHD Rates On the Rise?

In some parts of the world, record numbers of people are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In the United States, for example, government researchers last year reported that more than 11% of children had received an ADHD diagnosis at some point in their lives — a sharp increase from 2003, when around 8% of children had.

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The surge in ADHD has led to concerns, particularly in the United States, about questionable diagnoses being given without a thorough clinical evaluation — through online services, for example, or by medical professionals without ADHD training. “They’ve got a visit for 15 or 20 minutes, and the diagnosis is made,” says Stephen Hinshaw, a specialist in child and adolescent mental health and ADHD at the University of California, Berkeley. But Didier says that a bigger problem is the number of people with ADHD who are undiagnosed or untreated. She emphasizes how important it is for people to have access to a thorough, accurate assessment from a trained professional who specializes in ADHD.

Read the whole story (subscription may be required): Scientific American