"ADHD rate in the United States stirs alarm; Some say children overdiagnosed" by Alan Schwarz | New York Times, April 01, 2013
NEW YORK — Nearly 1 in 5 high school-age boys in the United States and 11 percent of school-age children overall have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to new data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
These rates reflect a marked rise over the last decade and could fuel growing concern among many doctors that the ADHD diagnosis and its medication are overused in American children....
There is a rea$on for that.
Ritalin or Adderall can drastically improve the lives of those with ADHD, but can also lead to addiction, anxiety, and occasionally psychosis.
‘‘Those are astronomical numbers. I’m floored,’’ said Dr. William Graf, a pediatric neurologist in New Haven and a professor at the Yale School of Medicine....
Even more teenagers are likely to be prescribed medication in the near future because the American Psychological Association plans to change the definition of ADHD to allow more people to receive the diagnosis and treatment.
So they can go and carry out a bunch of school shootings?
Kind of kills two birds with one $tone (no pun intended), doesn't it?
ADHD is described by most experts as resulting from abnormal chemical levels in the brain that impair a person’s impulse control and attention skills.
So does watching TV.
While some doctors and patient advocates have welcomed rising diagnosis rates as evidence that the disorder is being better recognized and accepted, others said the new rates suggest that millions of children may be taking medication merely to calm behavior or to do better in school.
Pills that are shared with or sold to classmates — diversion long tolerated in college settings and gaining traction in high-achieving high schools — are particularly dangerous, doctors say, because of their health risks when abused.
The findings were part of a broader CDC study of children’s health issues, taken from February 2011 to June 2012. The agency interviewed 76,000 parents nationwide by both cellphone and landline and is currently compiling its reports. The New York Times obtained the raw data from the agency and compiled the results.
ADHD has historically been estimated to affect 3 to 7 percent of children. The disorder has no definitive test and is determined only by speaking extensively with patients, parents, and teachers, and ruling out other possible causes — a subjective process that is often skipped under time constraints and pressure from parents.
Right, blame the parent.
Related: The End of Riley
Sometimes they are to blame.
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