Community Corner
Your Take: Is ADHD Overdiagnosed?
A new CDC report states that 11 percent of American schoolchildren have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Do you think this condition has become overdiagnosed?
Nearly one in five high school-age boys and 11 percent of school-age children overall have received a medical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, The New York Times reports.
The data comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the Times, "The figures showed that an estimated 6.4 million children ages 4 through 17 had received an A.D.H.D. diagnosis at some point in their lives, a 16 percent increase since 2007 and a 53 percent rise in the past decade. About two-thirds of those with a current diagnosis receive prescriptions for stimulants like Ritalin or Adderall, which can drastically improve the lives of those with A.D.H.D. but can also lead to addiction, anxiety and occasionally psychosis."
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What do you think? Do you have a family member diagnosed with ADHD? Has it become an 'excuse' for behavior issues in the schools? Are you concerned about the overuse of drugs in connection with this issue? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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