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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological disorder characterized by a pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that disrupts functioning in both children and adults
Facts and Statistics
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ADHD is a condition characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity
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It is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood
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It is usually diagnosed in childhood and last into adulthood
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People diagnosed with ADHD may have difficulty paying attention and or controlling impulsive behavior
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70% of people with ADHD in childhood will continue to have it in adolescence
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50% will continue into adulthood
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ADHD is not caused by watching too much, parenting or having too much sugar
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ADHD may be caused by genetics, brain injury or low birth weights
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Is a highly genetic, brain-based syndrome that has to do with the brain regulation in executive functioning skills
Prevalence
UNITED STATES
Children & Adolescents
The 2016 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) interviewed parents and reports the following ADHD prevalence data among children ages 2–17 (Danielson et al. 2018):
- 6.1 million children (9.4 percent) have ever been diagnosed with ADHD. This includes:
- About 388,000 young children ages 2-5 (or 2.4 percent in this age group)
- 2.4 million school-age children ages 6-11 (or 9.6 percent in this age group)
- 3.3 million adolescents ages 12-17 (or 13.6 percent in this age group)
- 5.4 million children (8.4 percent) have a current diagnosis of ADHD. This includes:
- About 335,000 young children ages 2-5 (or 2.1 percent in this age group)
- 2.2 million school-age children ages 6-11 (or 8.9 percent in this age group)
- 2.9 million adolescents ages 12-17 (or 11.9 percent in this age group)
- Treatment used by children ages 2-7 with a current diagnosis of ADHD:
- Two out three were taking medication (62 percent).
- Less than half received behavioral treatment in the past year (46.7 percent).
- Nearly one out of three received a combination of medication and behavioral treatment in the past year (31.7 percent).
- Nearly one out of four had not received any treatment (23 percent).
- Severity of ADHD among children ages 2-17:
- 14.5 percent had severe ADHD
- 43.7 percent had moderate ADHD
- 41.8 percent had mild ADHD
- Co-occuring conditions (children ages 2-17):
- Two out of three children (63.8 percent) had at least one co-occuring condition.
- Half of all children (51.5 percent) had behavioral or conduct problems.
- One out of three children (32.7 percent) had anxiety problems.
- One out of six children (16.8 percent) had depression.
- About one out of seven children (13.7 percent) had autism spectrum disorder.
- About one out of 80 children (1.2 percent) had Tourette syndrome.
- One in a hundred adolescents (1 percent) had a substance abuse disorder.
- By race or ethnicity (children ages 2-17):
- 8.4 percent White
- 10.7 percent Black
- 6.6 percent Other
- 6.0 percent Hispanic/Latino
- 9.1 percent Non-Hispanic/Latino
Adults with ADHD
- 4.4 percent of the adult US population has ADHD, but less than 20 percent of these individuals seek help for it.
- 41.3% of adult ADHD cases are considered severe.
- During their lifetimes, 12.9 percent of men will be diagnosed with ADHD, compared to 4.9 percent of women.
- About 30 to 60 percent of patients diagnosed with ADHD in childhood continue to be affected into adulthood.
- Adults with ADHD are 5 times more likely to speed
- Adults with ADHD are nearly 50 percent more likely to be in a serious car crash.
- Having ADHD makes you 3 times more likely to be dead by the age of 45
- Anxiety disorders occur in 50 percent of adults with ADHD.
Reference
CHADD- National Resource Center on ADHD
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