The Rise in ADHD

A dramatic increase in ADHD-diagnosed children has prompted many to take another look out how these children are being diagnosed.

William Johnson
Sep 9, 2018 · 3 min read

Recently, news broke out that the number of American children diagnosed with ADHD has reached more than 10 percent, one that is higher than the same statistics for many other developed nations.

From the late 1990s and the early 2000s, data has shown that not only has the overall youth population diagnosed with ADHD has increased but also there are no longer specific socioeconomic or racial distinctions between who is diagnosed as there were previously. This drastic change in results does indeed indicate the need to find true reasons behind why all of this is happening.

The question has arisen, regarding whether or not there is a medical error leading over-diagnosis or misdiagnosis for children here in the States. And, what’s more, shocking is that these results seem to be predominantly amplified in minority groups, especially those who do not have a solid access to health care and the treatment necessary in the diagnosis of ADHD.

This leads to the question of what are the factors that may lead to such results as we are seeing today in America’s youth. The answer to that, however, might depend upon our understanding of the psychology and related factors that might exhibit the same symptoms as children with ADHD.

As Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, a professor at both UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco, put it, “It’s probably not a true epidemic of ADHD,” but rather “it might be an epidemic of diagnosing it.”

His contention, along with those of others in the same field, contradicts the notion that we are over-diagnosing ADHD, but rather, we are not taking into account the various behavioral and other related issues that can also be considered as ADHD in America.

Additionally, other factors, such as an improvement in medical technology, understanding of medical issues that might have an effect on children, a rise in mental health awareness, and an improvement in health services may hypothetically contribute to this rise in ADHD.

ADHD and its tendencies are one that should not be overlooked, and sometimes, the worst experience with people who have ADHD is to be recognized as someone who is behaving off on purpose, rather than the scientific backing behind a person’s behavior. Yet, with all things considered, the consistently high amounts of ADHD-diagnosed children here in America prompts everyone to reevaluate the process regarding ADHD diagnosis. Without acknowledging the societal, environmental, and other mental health factors that lead to a diagnosis of ADHD, the disability may have negative results on those it affects.

Medicine Weekly

Medicine Weekly’s goal is to recap the biggest news stories in one of the most crucial industries in the world: medicine. Founded with the idea of documenting change in the medicine field, Medicine Weekly also seeks to offer solutions and perspectives on various topics.

William Johnson

Written by

Pseudonym for a student interested in politics, medicine, and our future.

Medicine Weekly

Medicine Weekly’s goal is to recap the biggest news stories in one of the most crucial industries in the world: medicine. Founded with the idea of documenting change in the medicine field, Medicine Weekly also seeks to offer solutions and perspectives on various topics.

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