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About 4.4 million children aged 4–17 years in the United States had been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2003, and more than half were taking medication for it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The data come from surveys completed by 68% of parents and/or guardians of 102,353 children in the National Survey of Children's Health. Extrapolated out to the entire U.S. population, that number comprises 4,418,000 4- to 17-year-old children, the CDC reported (MMWR 2005;54:842–7).
The diagnosis was reported about 2.5 times more frequently among boys (11%) than girls (4.4%), and the prevalence increased with age, from 4.1% among 4- to 8-year-olds to 9.7% in those aged 9–17 years.
Reported ADHD diagnoses were higher among non-Hispanic, primarily English-speaking, and insured children, as well as in families in which the most highly educated adult was a high school graduate (8.6%), compared with those with more education (7.6%) or less education (6.5%).
A total of 4.3% of children in 2003 were taking medication for ADHD, comprising 56.3% of those with reported ADHD. Children aged 9–12 years had the highest rates (6.2%), followed by 13- to 17-year-old patients (4.6%). The youngest children (aged 4–8 years) were the least likely to be taking medication (2.6%).nGeographic variation in medication treatment for ADHD ranged from a low of 2.1% in California to a high of 6.5% in Arkansas, according to the CDC.
About 4.4 million children aged 4–17 years in the United States had been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2003, and more than half were taking medication for it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The data come from surveys completed by 68% of parents and/or guardians of 102,353 children in the National Survey of Children's Health. Extrapolated out to the entire U.S. population, that number comprises 4,418,000 4- to 17-year-old children, the CDC reported (MMWR 2005;54:842–7).
The diagnosis was reported about 2.5 times more frequently among boys (11%) than girls (4.4%), and the prevalence increased with age, from 4.1% among 4- to 8-year-olds to 9.7% in those aged 9–17 years.
Reported ADHD diagnoses were higher among non-Hispanic, primarily English-speaking, and insured children, as well as in families in which the most highly educated adult was a high school graduate (8.6%), compared with those with more education (7.6%) or less education (6.5%).
A total of 4.3% of children in 2003 were taking medication for ADHD, comprising 56.3% of those with reported ADHD. Children aged 9–12 years had the highest rates (6.2%), followed by 13- to 17-year-old patients (4.6%). The youngest children (aged 4–8 years) were the least likely to be taking medication (2.6%).nGeographic variation in medication treatment for ADHD ranged from a low of 2.1% in California to a high of 6.5% in Arkansas, according to the CDC.
About 4.4 million children aged 4–17 years in the United States had been diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in 2003, and more than half were taking medication for it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.
The data come from surveys completed by 68% of parents and/or guardians of 102,353 children in the National Survey of Children's Health. Extrapolated out to the entire U.S. population, that number comprises 4,418,000 4- to 17-year-old children, the CDC reported (MMWR 2005;54:842–7).
The diagnosis was reported about 2.5 times more frequently among boys (11%) than girls (4.4%), and the prevalence increased with age, from 4.1% among 4- to 8-year-olds to 9.7% in those aged 9–17 years.
Reported ADHD diagnoses were higher among non-Hispanic, primarily English-speaking, and insured children, as well as in families in which the most highly educated adult was a high school graduate (8.6%), compared with those with more education (7.6%) or less education (6.5%).
A total of 4.3% of children in 2003 were taking medication for ADHD, comprising 56.3% of those with reported ADHD. Children aged 9–12 years had the highest rates (6.2%), followed by 13- to 17-year-old patients (4.6%). The youngest children (aged 4–8 years) were the least likely to be taking medication (2.6%).nGeographic variation in medication treatment for ADHD ranged from a low of 2.1% in California to a high of 6.5% in Arkansas, according to the CDC.