Seven Percent of U.S. Grade School Kids Have ADD/ADHD

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http://www.mercola.com/2002/jun/8/adhd.htm

 

 

Seven Percent of U.S. Grade School Kids Have ADD/ADHD

 

 

 

Seven percent of US children aged 6 to 11 have been diagnosed with

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to results of a

national survey by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

The survey also found that half of children diagnosed with ADHD are told they

have a learning disability as well. This brings the total number of children

diagnosed with at least one of these disorders to 2.6 million, according to the

CDC.

 

These results show that ADHD and learning disability are among the most common

chronic conditions affecting school-aged children in the United States.

 

These findings were obtained from national surveys conducted between 1997 and

1998, which included interviews with family members of 8,647 children between

the ages of 6 and 11.

 

Significant differences exist in the frequency of diagnosis of ADHD and learning

disability by gender and ethnicity, Pastor and Reuben report. Boys were three

times as likely as girls to be diagnosed with ADHD alone, and twice as likely to

have both conditions. In addition, white children were told they had ADHD twice

as often as Hispanic and black children.

 

Children with learning disability were five times as likely as those with only

ADHD to be enrolled in special education programs, and more than 23 times as

likely as those without either condition.

 

Children with either condition used healthcare services more often than their

peers, the investigators note. Kids with ADHD most frequently took prescription

drugs on a regular basis, at rates of 54% among those with ADHD alone and 61% in

those with both conditions. In contrast, only 6% of children with neither

condition reportedly take prescription medications regularly.

 

Parents of kids with both disorders were more likely to say that their children

had visited both mental health and general healthcare professionals, with 51% of

kids with learning disability and ADHD using mental health services and

reporting at least four healthcare visits within the past 12 months.

 

Of children with neither disorder, the investigators note, only 23% visited a

doctor as often, and only 3% saw a mental health professional.

 

Children diagnosed with learning disability alone were more likely than others

to live in a low-income or single-mother home, and children living in families

with health insurance were more likely to be told they have ADHD without

learning disability.

 

US Centers for Disease Control May 21, 2002

 

 

DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT:

Well over one million American children are on drugs for ADHD.

 

Clearly drugs are not the answer for children with ADHD. There are so many

better options.

 

If they only did the following three steps, the great majority would notice

amazing improvement in their ADHD:

 

Omega-3 oils, specifically fish oil, is probably the single most important

nutrient for a child with ADHD to take.

 

Next they should only drink water as their beverage, taking care to avoid fruit

juices, soda and milk.

 

Restrict sugars and grains, which cause insulin levels to be elevated.

 

I would highly recommend Dr. Stoll's book The Omega-3 Connection. He is a

Harvard psychiatrist who has done a great job of compiling the evidence

supporting the use of fish oils for depression.

 

You can also consider using EFT for improving your child's emotional component.

I have recently updated my video series on how to actually perform the

treatment.

 

The updated video series has many new advantages:

 

New material-over half of the material is new and updated

 

Professionally edited

 

Will be available on DVD mid-June for extra high quality video

 

Over two hours of updated information on my Eating Plan

 

Live demonstration of how to juice

 

If you have a child with ADHD you will certainly also want to view the links

below.

 

Related Articles:

 

Untested Ritalin/Prozac Combination Used by More Children

 

Major Study Shows Fish Oil Fat in Infants Increases Adult Intelligence

 

Non-Drug Treatment of ADD/ADHD - Exclusive Interview with Lendon Smith, MD

 

Non-Drug Treatment of ADD/ADHD

 

Large Numbers of Kids Already On Ritalin

 

Why Are So Many Kids On Ritalin?

 

 

 

 

 

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