Findings. This cohort study of 238 011 children examined the association between race/ethnicity and the diagnosis of ADHD. Asian, Black, and Hispanic children were significantly less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD compared with White children.
The CDC study, reported in March of this year, found overall, 14% of children 3-17 have ever been diagnosed with either ADHD or learning disability, including 17% of Black children, 15% of white children and 12% of Hispanic children. (See chart.)
In the U.S., studies indicate that about 4.4% of adults have ADHD. About 5.4% of men in the U.S. have diagnosed ADHD, while 3.2% of women in the U.S. have the same. In the U.S., ADHD diagnoses are more prevalent in white people than in other ethnic groups.
In a comprehensive study by Deloitte, researchers found that the disorder's worldwide prevalence ranges from 2% to 5%, encompassing both children and adults3. In Australia, ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting 6-7% of the population4.
Similar to the hyperactive symptoms, impulsive symptoms are typically seen by the time a child is four years old and increase during the next three to four years to peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age.
In 2021, research showed that for every 100 white children diagnosed with ADHD, there are 83 Black and 77 Hispanic children, and just 48 Asian children, with the diagnosis.
A total of 67 studies covering 642,266 Chinese children and adolescents were included. The prevalence estimates of ADHD in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan were 6.5%, 6.4%, and 4.2%, respectively, with a pooled estimate of 6.3%.
Risk factors for ADHD may include: Blood relatives, such as a parent or sibling, with ADHD or another mental health disorder. Exposure to environmental toxins — such as lead, found mainly in paint and pipes in older buildings. Maternal drug use, alcohol use or smoking during pregnancy.
Is ADHD inherited from Mom or Dad? You can inherit genes that boost risk for ADHD from your mother, from your father or from both parents.
Rather, the rise seems to be due to an increase in access to healthcare; a decrease in stigmatization about receiving mental health care; and greater awareness of the symptoms of ADHD among clinicians, guardians, educators, and patients. In the past, ADHD was only diagnosed in children who were hyperactive.
According to a meta- analysis in 2018, 5.6% of Chinese children are living with ADHD[6]. The overall prevalence of ADHD in China is 6.3%[7].
The prevalence of adult ADHD is estimated as 1.65% in Japan [3] and 1.2 to 3.2% [2, 4] worldwide.
The result is that children with ADHD are often simply dismissed as “bad kids.” Many are socially ostracized by their classmates, forced to study alone, or even kicked out of school — causing them lifelong psychological harm.
The prevalence of ADHD among Arab populations is variable according to published studies, ranging from 6-16 percent. That is more or less equivalent to the occurrence in the United States, where the prevalence is reported from 5-10 percent.
Studies have consistently found an association between childhood ADHD/behavioral symptoms of ADHD and socioeconomic disadvantage; ADHD symptoms and diagnosis are more common among those from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds.
ADHD is estimated to affect around 5% of children and 2.5% of adults worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
The highest rates emerged from Africa (8.5%) and South America (11.8%). Corroboration comes from a dimensional ADHD scale used in 21 countries. Japanese and Finnish children scored lowest, Jamaican and Thai children scored highest, and American children scored about average (7).
Estimates suggest that about 4% to 12% of children have ADHD. Boys are 2 to 3 times more likely to have ADHD of the hyperactive or combined type than girls. Many parents of children with ADHD experienced symptoms of ADHD when they were younger. ADHD is commonly found in brothers and sisters within the same family.
ADHD can make completing tasks such as school work, homework, or work projects much more difficult. However, there is no clear link between ADHD and IQ. A person may have a high, average, or low IQ score and also have ADHD. ADHD may cause a person to interrupt in class or perform poorly on tests.
Gifted students have abilities that exceed those of their typical peers. They learn faster, are inquisitive, curious, and are able to quickly understand complex concepts. However, some gifted students have behavioral problems that correspond with ADHD, so much so that they are diagnosed with the disorder.
According to the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment claims database, ADHD is the most common mental disorder in children but the diagnosis rates decrease steeply with age, whereas the diagnosis rates of depression and anxiety increase in adolescence [63]. Similar rates are also seen in female adolescents.
Children with ADHD show specific signs of the three major ADHD symptoms: hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and inattention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 18 core behaviors could indicate that your child has ADHD.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.