In the past ten years, diagnoses of childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have increased by almost 25%, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics (January 21).
From 2001 to 2010, the rate of ADHD diagnosis increased from 2.5% to 3.1%, according to Darios Getahun, MD, PhD, of Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Group in Pasadena.
"That is a very significant increase," says Darios Getahun, a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Group who conducted the study.
The researchers analyzed the medical records of children ages five to 11 years old from the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health plan database. Of the 842,832 children in this age group, the researchers found that 39,200 had been diagnosed with ADHD.
ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in children. It is characterized by the inability to focus and impulsive behavior.
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