More older children said to have ADHD

July 24, 2008

ATLANTA More older children are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder while the rate is holding steady for children under 12, according to a government report released yesterday. Some experts called the finding surprising, noting that most childhood diagnoses traditionally occur by age 11. The study didn't investigate why the increase in one age group was so much higher than in the other. It found the percentage of older children diagnosed with ADHD has been rising by 4 percent each year. Some experts say the increase might reflect that doctors are increasingly considering the possibility of ADHD in older kids who have concentration problems - a trend that coincides with the marketing of ADHD medications to teens and adults.