As many as one in five children in America suffer from some form of mental disability, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control. The new study is the first from the CDC to examine the prevalence of mental illness amongst children.
They found that attention deficit/hyper activity (ADHD) was the most commonly reported illness by parents with 6.8 of kids between the ages of 3 and 17 suffering. Other common issues were behavioral problems, anxiety and depression.
"Nobody is really spared," said study author Dr. Ruth Perou. "It affects all demographics, boys and girls, and across all regions."
Fellow researcher Dr. Thomas Bornermann adds:
"But surprisingly, we have very little data on what disorders currently are the most prevalent in our state and nationally to help identify and treat those most at risk," Bornemann said. "The CDC's new data is an important beginning."
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