More children than ever before are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, (ADHD) according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Statistics indicate that around 6 million youngsters, or approximately 11 percent of school-age kids, have gotten such a diagnosis at some point.
The most alarming figures are among boys in high school. It seems that one in five is now being treated for ADHD. These numbers have raised concern among many experts, especially since it shows an increase of 16 percent since 2007 and of 53 percent since 2002. Many families are caught in a dilemma, since treating ADHD with medications such as Adderall or Ritalin can be extremely helpful for some affected youngsters but can lead to serious side effects and abuse for others. We discussed this controversy in 2012 with two of the country’s leading experts, Dr. Alan Sroufe and Dr. Ned Hallowell.
