Prevalence of ADHD

How Many People Have ADHD ?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - "ADD" or "ADHD" - affects about five percent (5%) of the children in the United States, and about three percent (3%) of all adults in the USA.

How Big of a Problem is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

About 35% of all children referred to mental health clinics are referred for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. It is one of the most prevalent of all childhood psychiatric disorders.

You may see published estimates stating that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may effect as many as 10% to 25% of children in America, but these numbers are not really supported by research data, and are probably inflated for the purpose of trying to sell something.

The 5% number is a solid number supported by research. The National Institute of Mental Health is estimating 7% of children with ADHD. Even at 5% each classroom in America will have one or two (2) ADHD kids in the class. So it is a very real, and very significant problem across America.

Why Does It Seem That There Are More Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Than Before?

Even though the percentage of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is likely the same as in the past, here are three likely reasons why it seems that "there is more ADHD" than ever before:

• You are more aware of problems like this as a parent than you were as a child. You have grown up now;
• The news and entertainment media have talked about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder a lot more than in the past, raising your awareness level;
• Children who were Drug Exposed in utero, or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome children have many of the same problems as children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and are often misdiagnosed by physicians as being ADD ADHD.

Drug Exposed Babies or Fetal Alcohol Syndrome vs. ADHD

A recent study by the National Institute of Drug Abuse reported the following:

• 5.5% of women REPORTED using illicit drugs while they were pregnant;
• 18.8% REPORTED using alcohol;
• 20.4% REPORTED using tobacco while pregnant.

  And tobacco use during pregnancy increases the risk of ADHD in children. A study published in the June 15, 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry presents new evidence that in utero exposure to smoking is associated with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) problems in genetically susceptible children.

  Rosalind Neuman, Ph.D., one of the study's authors, explains the findings: "When genetic factors are combined with prenatal cigarette smoke exposure, the ADHD risk rises very significantly - 3 to 9 fold."

  John H. Krystal, M.D. adds, "These data highlight a new risk of maternal smoking, increasing the risk for ADHD in their children. ADHD, in turn, increases the risk for substance abuse. Thus, it appears that in utero exposure to nicotine may help to perpetuate a cycle across generations that links addiction and behavioral problems."

  The article is "Prenatal Smoking Exposure and Dopaminergic Genotypes Interact to Cause a Severe Subtype" by Rosalind J. Neuman, Elizabeth Lobos, Wendy Reich, Cynthia A. Henderson, Ling-Wei Sun and Richard D. Todd. All authors are from the Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri. The article appears in Biological Psychiatry, Volume 61, Issue 12 (June 15, 2007), published by Elsevier.

In our rural California county it is estimated that 10% of all children born in the county were exposed to drugs or alcohol in utero by their mothers.

There are no known "safe levels" of drug, alcohol, or tobacco use while pregnant. The use of drugs or alcohol are especially dangerous to the developing baby and can often cause neurological problems. When these children enter school, they often display problems with attention, impulse control, temper, learning, and behavior. They are often misdiagnosed as having a genetically based Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

What they really suffer from are structural brain injuries thanks to their mother's past behaviors.