Nearly half of kids with ADHD not being treated

Contrary to the belief that children are being overmedicated for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a team of researchers at St. Louis’ Washington University School of Medicine has found that a large percentage of children with ADHD are not receiving treatment. In fact, almost half of the kids who may benefit from ADHD drugs weren’t getting them.

Richard D. Todd, MD, PhD, called the findings “somewhat surprising,” and went on to say, “Only about 58% of boys and about 45% of girls who had a diagnosis of full-scale ADHD got any medication at all.”

There has been much talk about the increasing number of children taking ADHD drugs. One study found that the percentage of elementary school children taking medication for the condition more than tripled, from 0.6% in 1975 to 3% by 1987. Another study found that the number of adolescents taking ADHD medications increased 2.5 fold from 1990 to 1995. And a number of reports have discussed a rapid increase in the US manufacture of methylphenidate – a stimulant usually sold under the names Concerta or Ritalin.

The research team studied 1,610 twins between the ages of 7 and 17. Of those, 359 met full criteria for ADHD (302 boys and 57 girls). The total number of boys in the sample was 1,006, and 604 girls were included.

Research professor of psychiatry Wendy Reich, PhD, said, “From a clinical point of view, this study affirms that for whatever reason, many children who could benefit from treatment are not receiving it.” She says it’s possible that those kids aren’t being identified at school or doctor’s offices or that their parents are choosing not to put their children on stimulants.

Todd says it “may be that mental health professionals need to do a better job of explaining the risks and benefits of treatment. The vast majority of parents whose children were involved in this study reported that their kids improved with medication, and when used properly these drugs have been shown to be very safe.”

Todd, also the chief of child psychiatry, said that among the 1,251 children in the study without ADHD, some did take stimulant medications, but it was a very small percentage, only 3.6% of the boys and 2.6% of the girls.

He said that in many cases, however, there’s an understandable reason those children have sought treatment. The study found that a large percentage of children without ADHD who took medication did have some minor symptoms of ADHD, but not enough to meet formal diagnostic criteria as defined in the DSM-IV. The study also found that most of these kids had a twin who did have the disorder, and that the children seemed to come from families where other children had full-blown ADHD.

He said it’s becoming clearer that ADHD is not a single problem, but rather a group of disorders with different causes but similar clinical expressions. He explained, “There also can be lots of reasons why you become diabetic or hypertensive. The end result is high blood sugar or elevated blood pressure, but how that happens can differ greatly from individual to individual. It’s the same thing for ADHD.”

© Copyright 2007 Insight Journal Online Magazine.

Join the Discussion:

Discuss and ask questions in our community forums

Recommended Links:

Sign up for our FREE Health and Wellness Newsletter
Insight Journal: ADHD Homepage
Ritalin Fact Sheet
ADHD In Children: What Does It Feel Like?

View More Articles In Category: ADD / ADHD News