ADHD Diagnosis Rates Rose Sharply in Past Decade

Study also finds more children seeing psychiatrists for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

March 23, 2012 RSS Feed Print

Other experts agreed that the incidence of ADHD probably isn't going up that quickly. "I don't think these data reflect true prevalence. I think it's the total frequency of visits related to ADHD is going up," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

"The American Academy of Pediatrics is encouraging pediatricians to play a more active role in the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD, so it's interesting to see that psychiatrists over time are now treating more," he said. "Pediatricians may be referring more, or as safety concerns have been raised by the FDA, it may be that families prefer to see a specialist."

More information

Learn more about ADHD from the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health.