ADHD in Children
Visual Abstract
Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Associated Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016
ADHD Treatment Statistics: United States
Melissa L Danielson , Rebecca H Bitsko , Reem M Ghandour , Joseph R Holbrook , Michael D Kogan , Stephen J Blumberg
Summarized by:
August 15, 2023
study source
J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol
Mar 2018
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What they studied
This study wanted to estimate how common ADHD was among children in the United States and how children with ADHD were typically treated.
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What they found
Nearly 10% of children in the United States had been diagnosed at some point with ADHD. Most were receiving appropriate treatment for their ADHD.
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What this means
These data suggest that more children are getting diagnosed and treated for ADHD.
Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Associated Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016
Objectives
ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric conditions among children. This study aimed to estimate how commonly children were diagnosed with ADHD in the United States and which treatments they received.
Study Quote
The purpose of this study is to estimate the national prevalence of parent-reported attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and treatment among U.S. children 2-17 years of age using the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH).
Methods
Researchers used a survey designed to represent a cross-section of American parents. This sampling was designed to help reflect the population as a whole and allowed researchers to estimate how common ADHD was in the United States and how common different treatments were.
Study Quote
The NSCH is a nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of parents regarding their children's health that underwent a redesign before the 2016 data collection. It included indicators of lifetime receipt of an ADHD diagnosis by a health care provider, whether the child currently ...
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Results
Researchers estimated that 9.4% of American children have been diagnosed with ADHD sometime during their life.
Most children who were diagnosed with ADHD were being treated for their ADHD. They were most commonly treated with medication for their ADHD. Many were also treated with behavioral therapy, which can be safe and effective for children.
A cross-sectional survey found that most children with ADHD were being treated. Most were receiving medication; many were receiving behavioral therapy in addition to or instead of medication.
Most were receiving treatment that was consistent with ADHD guidelines.
Study Quote
In 2016, an estimated 6.1 million U.S. children 2-17 years of age (9.4%) had ever received an ADHD diagnosis. Of these, 5.4 million currently had ADHD, which was 89.4% of children ever diagnosed with ADHD and 8.4% of all U.S. children 2-17 years of age. Of children with current ADHD, alm...
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Conclusions
Compared to earlier studies, this study found that more young children were getting diagnosed with ADHD compared to just a few years prior:
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Looking specifically at young children with ADHD, from 2007–2008 to 2011–2012, there was a 57% increase (from 1.0% to 1.5%) noted in the percentage of children 2–5 years of age with current ADHD ... In the present study, an estimated 2.1% of children 2–5 years of age were reported to have current ADHD.
Generally, children were receiving appropriate treatments for their age, based on clinical guidelines:
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The results from the 2016 NSCH suggest that the most common combinations of ADHD treatment by age group appear to be consistent with recommendations from clinical guidelines.
While guidelines typically offer solid evidence-based recommendations on how to treat children, clinicians can prescribe different treatments for their patients depending on their unique circumstances and the preferences of the patient and their parents.
A similar study several years prior on adults with ADHD found that, unlike children with ADHD in the United States, adults with ADHD were often untreated for their ADHD:
Study Quote
The redesigned NSCH can be used to annually monitor diagnosis and treatment patterns for this highly prevalent and high-impact neurodevelopmental disorder.