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Jamie Taylor
Prof. Echols
ENG 1201.505
27 October 2021

What is ADD/ADHD and how it is today compared to 20 years ago.

ADHD has been around for a long time but how long exactly. What is ADD/ADHD

and how is it now compared to 20 years ago. When did ADHD become such a common

diagnosis? I remember fifteen to twenty years ago, you rarely heard someone

diagnosed with this but now it seems so common, so why the increase. My brother was

diagnosed with ADHD as a kid, he was the only one I knew at the time that had this. I

now have personal experience with this topic as my daughter was diagnosed at age 6

and my older son was diagnosed at age 8. Since the last two decades, the diagnosis of

attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD has increased due to better research of

the mental illness, improved medications, as well as greater awareness of what ADHD

is. ADHD is a mental health disease that can or may cause other diseases at any age.

According to an article by Health line, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.

ADHD was mentioned in 1902 by a British pediatrician, Sir George Frederic Still. ADHD

was originally called Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder until around1960 when the

American Psychiatric Association (APA) formally recognized Hyperkinetic Impulse

Disorder as a mental disorder. In 1980, the APA changed the name of the disorder from
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Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder to Attention Deficit Disorder, as they said that the

hyperactivity wasn’t a common symptom of that disorder. Then in 1987, the APA

revised it and changed the name to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

2000, the APA released a fourth and final revision and there are 3 classes that are used

by health care professionals today. There are three categories of ADHD, the combined

typed ADHD, predominantly inattentive type ADHD, and predominantly hyperactivity-

impulsive type ADHD [ CITATION healthline \l 1033 ].

Throughout all research that has been completed on this topic, one of the most

consistent things that is coming up is the increase in diagnosis. Findings from 2016–

2018 study conducted by the National Health Interview Survey that Benjamin Zablotsky

and Josephine Alford did from the CDC said, 13.8 percent of children aged 3–17 years

had ever been diagnosed with either ADHD or a learning disability. Non-Hispanic black

children (16.9 percent) were more likely than non-Hispanic white (14.7 percent) or

Hispanic (11.9 percent) children to be diagnosed with either condition. Non-Hispanic

white children were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or a learning disability than

Hispanic children[CITATION NCHS \l 1033 ].

There is an article from ADDitutde from 2021 that has similar facts also. 388,000

children ages 2 to 5 years, 2.4 million children ages 6 to 11, and 3.3 million children

ages 12 to 17 years are diagnosed with ADHD. The study that was conducted found

that boys (12.9 percent) are more likely to be diagnosed vs girls (5.6 percent). In 2016,

study was conducted on adults and is estimated at 2.8 percent of adults were

diagnosed with ADHD [CITATION ADDitude \l 1033 ].

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The CDC has a Data and Statistics informational page about ADHD on their

website, and it also has the same information that other sites have about an increase in

ADHD diagnosis. CDC reports an estimated number of children ever diagnosed with

ADHD, according to a national 2016 parent survey, is 6.1 million (9.4 percent). This

number includes: 388,000 children aged 2–5 years, 2.4 million children aged 6–11

years, 3.3 million children aged 12–17 years. Boys (12.9 percent) are more likely to be

diagnosed with ADHD than girls (5.6 percent) [CITATION CDCreseach \l 1033 ].

In a 2018 report from Kaiser Health News that was reported by Rachel Bluth,

said that there was an increase of 10 percent in the US, which is a significant increase

from the past 20 years. Bluth reports that researchers say the increase could be due to

better access to health insurance and mental health treatment through the Affordable

Care Act (ACA). Now, researchers are now saying the rate of diagnosis has doubled in

girls although it is still lower than the boys’ rates. The same study reports that because

of the ACA, some low-income families have better access to services and referrals,

which helps with diagnosis and treatment options [ CITATION healthinsurance \l 1033 ].

When the ACA came out, it was supposed to make things easier for patients to

access healthcare but one way to manage rising medical costs, is to deny claims, even

if they are legitimate, says Jane Lehto from ADDitude in a report titled Doing Battle with

your insurance company. Jane states that in forty-two states, they have developed an

in-house appeal procedures board. These board members can override those of the

insurance companies. In a recent study reported by ADDitude, Jane reports, that fifty-

two percent of the patients won their first in-house appeal. Jane, from ADDitude, reports

on how to get started, is to read your policy. A few questions to research would be,
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Does it include mental health benefits? Which kinds of services are included?

Outpatient or inpatient care? Serious or “non-serious” diagnosis? [ CITATION

medinsurance \l 1033 ].

Is ADHD getting over diagnosed? According to Wei Bao, lead author of a study

that Rachel Bluth talks about said, researchers say no, they find no evidence confirming

frequent complaints that the condition ADHD is over diagnosed. [ CITATION

healthinsurance \l 1033 ]. Bluth reports that the United States has significantly more

instances of ADHD, then other developed countries, which researchers believe that

Americans are over diagnosing children. Wei Bae said in his report, that a review of

studies from around the world doesn’t support that. Researchers are saying the

increase is due to better understanding of ADHD, the public understanding what ADHD

is and access to affordable healthcare from the ACA [ CITATION healthinsurance \l 1033 ].

What are the symptoms of ADHD? Back in 1902, Sir George Fredrick noticed

that children could not control their behavior the way a typical child would, but the

children were still intelligent. The article from Healthline reports that, in 1936, Dr.

Charles Bradley noticed side effects of a medication called Benzedrine, which improved

young patients’ behavior and performance in school. This is the first report that school

performance is associated with ADHD. In 1987, the APA included three symptoms of

inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity [ CITATION healthline \l 1033 ]. In the article

from Rachel Bluth from the Kaiser Health News, reports that Stephen Hinshaw, co-

author of the book called, “The ADHD Explosion: Myths, Medication, Money, and

Todays push for Performance,” says that symptoms of ADHD can include fidgety

behavior, impulsivity, and inattention [ CITATION healthinsurance \l 1033 ].

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A question that researchers are still trying to figure out is how someone gets

ADHD. Are they born with it, is it genetically given, or does someone develop ADHD on

their own, out of the blue? Rachel Bluth from Kaiser Health News reports, two decades

ago, researchers noticed babies that were preterm, or had low weight had a harder time

surviving and that was an increased their risk of being diagnosed with ADHD [ CITATION

healthinsurance \l 1033 ]. Executive Director of Center for Science in the public interest,

Michael Jacobson says that in frequent controlled studies that were conducted in the

US, Europe, and Australia, report that Yellow # 5, Red #40, and Blue #2, and other

petroleum-based food dyes have a robustly disruptive impact on some children’s

behavior. Researchers are now suggesting that eliminating foods with artificial dyes can

lead to noticeable improvements in behavior and performance in school. Sarah

Mechum, International Association of Color Manufacturers reports, that several reviews

of studies on hyperactivity and synthetic food color that were conducted by US experts

and international regulatory bodies have found no connection between the intake of

synthetic food colors and hyperactivity in children. Marcia Clemmitt from CA Research

reports that imaging of the brain and certain genetic studies have turned up some clues

[ CITATION CQresearcher \l 1033 ]. Healthline reports a 2020 review of study points to a very

strong genetic link between parents and children with ADHD. Children who have

biological parents or siblings with the ADHD are a lot more likely to have it [ CITATION

healthline \l 1033 ]. I have three children total, two of them are diagnosed with ADHD. My

daughter was diagnosed around age 7. We tried therapy, school plans,

punishments/rewards but nothing worked. We didn’t fully know what ADHD was. Once

she started on medication, it was night and day. Her mood and attitude improved, and
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her schoolwork took a 180. My son was diagnosed a few years ago at around age 8. At

first, we were told he had severe anxiety. He started on meds for that, and that did help

but not enough. Once he also started on ADHD meds, everything improved drastically

for him as well. My daughter was born on time, 40 weeks and was 6 pounds and 11

ounces. My son was born at 39 weeks and was 8 pounds and 14 ounces. Neither one

of them were born with low birth weight nor premature.

Janice Rodden from ADDitude reports a timeline of the medications have been

used to treat ADHD. 1936 when Benzedrine (amphetamine) was first approved by the

FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Then in 1955, Chlorpromazine is then suggested

as a treatment for hyperactive children, but Benzedrine is used more at this time still.

Jane from ADDitude reports that in 1957, two medical researchers, Maurice Laufer and

Eric Denhoff, first mention Ritalin (stimulant) as a potential treatment for ADHD. In 1967,

the FDA approved Ritalin for use in children with behavioral problems. Jane an editor

from ADDitude report that in 1970, the public’s concern over the abuse of drugs,

particularly stimulants caused congress to pass the Comprehensive Drug Abuse

Prevention and Control Act, that started classifying amphetamines and

methylphenidates as a schedule III substance, then limiting the number of refills a

patient can receive. FDA reclassified amphetamines and methylphenidates as a

scheduled II drug in 1971 according to ADDitude. 2002, Strattera, the first non-stimulant

medication is approved by the FDA for treatment of ADHD. There are now several

different forms of medications for ADHD, they could be a tablet, liquid, patch, or an

orally disintegrating tablet [ CITATION ADDitudeJanice \l 1033 ].

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Researchers are finding a correlation between ADHD and other mental health

issues. According to ADDitude editors, approximately two thirds of children that are

diagnosed with ADHD, also have at least one other mental health condition.

approximately 51.5 percent of children with ADHD have a behavioral or conduct

problems, approximately 32.7 percent of people with ADHD also have anxiety

problems,16.8 percent have depression, 13.7 percent have been diagnosed with autism

spectrum disorder (ASD), 1.2 percent have Tourette syndrome, about 45 percent have

a learning disorder, and children with ADHD are 12 times more likely to have Loss of

Control Eating Syndrome (LOC-ES), a type of eating disorder like binge eating disorder

in adults [ CITATION ADDitude \l 1033 ]. According to the 2017 meta-analysis from

ADDitude, adults with ADHD frequently occurs with other comorbid conditions such as:

rates of comorbid bipolar disorder in adults with ADHD are estimated between 5.1 and

47.1 percent, roughly one-fifth to one-half of adults with ADHD have major depressive

disorder/dysthymia, about half of individuals with ADHD have some type of anxiety

disorder, and personality disorders are present in more than 50 percent of adults with

ADHD. Substance Abuse Disorder is linked with ADHD according to a study that

suggests that 25-40 percent of adults with SUD also have ADHD and people with ADHD

are at least 1.5 times more likely to develop substance abuse disorders to substances

like nicotine, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine [CITATION ADDitude \l 1033 ].

Demographics, Race and Ethnicity play a major role in ADHD also. ADDitude

editors cite a 2020 data brief from the National Center for Health Statistics, that black

children aged 3 to 17 years are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or a learning

disability (16.9 percent) compared to white (14.7 percent) and Hispanic children (11.9
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percent). Children in the lowest income brackets (18.7 percent) are more likely to be

diagnosed with ADHD or some form of a learning disability compared to children in

families with income above the federal poverty level (12.7 percent). African American

and Caucasian children, regardless of family income, are more likely to be diagnosed

with ADHD or a learning disability compared to Hispanic children. Children with parents

who have a high school education or less are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD

(15.4 percent) compared to children with parents with more than a high school

education (12.8 percent). Children living in the southern part of the United States are

more likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis compared to peers in other regions: South

approximately 11 percent, Midwest approximately 8.4 percent, Northeast approximately

8.4 percent, and West approximately 6.8 percent. Children living in rural areas are more

likely to be diagnosed with ADHD compared to children in urban/suburban areas: Rural

approximately 11.8 percent and Urban/suburban approximately 9 percent. ADHD

diagnosis rates among adults of all race/ethnic groups are rising, but differences remain

(prevalence figures from 2006 to 2017): White approximately 0.67 to 1.42 percent,

Asian approximately 0.11 to 0.35 percent, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

approximately 0.11 to 0.39 percent, Black approximately 0.22 to 0.69 percent, Hispanic

approximately 0.25 to 0.65 percent, American Indian and Alaskan Native approximately

0.56 to 1.14 percent [CITATION ADDitude \l 1033 ].

There is so much information on the topic of ADHD and it is so hard to find what

is correct and what is not. As discussed earlier, the article from Healthline talks about

how ADHD was first mentioned by the British pediatrician Sir George Frederic Still first

diagnosed someone in 1902[ CITATION healthline \l 1033 ]. This may be correct as other
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sites have this same information also. An article from WebMD, A Brief History of ADHD,

that said the first person thought to have ADHD (but it wasn’t called that yet) was in

1798 but a Scottish doctor, Sir Alexander Crichton [CITATION webmd \l 1033 ]. There is a lot

of controversy on ADHD and if it is really a mental health illness or disease and if it

should be considered a disability also. It is hard to find information that is factual and

accurate. Without the research completed, we may never really know or understand

ADHD yet.

There is always bad that comes with the good. Research is coming along way on

finding out what it is and the best ways to treat ADHD but there are also side effects or

issues. Dr. Roseann has an article called “5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Medicate

Your Child With ADHD”. She lists the following 5 reasons on why medications are not

the best choice [ CITATION DrRoseann \l 1033 ].

Reason #1, “ADHD Medication Side Effects Harm Kids”. Dr. Roseann states in

the article that side effects range from reduced eating and growth, irritability, rage, and

personality changes to psychotic behaviors. In a study that was completed in 2014, 100

percent of all participants developed at least one adverse reaction. My daughter who

was on a stimulant medication had lost a lot of weight and was less than 100 pounds at

age 14 when she should have been around 115 pounds. My son doesn’t have any kind

of appetite when he takes his medication also. Dr. Roseann states that the side effects

that were most associated with stimulants in this study was reduced eating (anorexia),

irritability and insomnia. [ CITATION DrRoseann \l 1033 ]

Reason #2 “Your ADHD Child is Diagnosed Incorrectly”. Dr. Roseann stats that

there is no conclusive way to diagnosis ADHD and that professionals usually diagnose
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children after just a clinical interview. Researchers have demonstrated that an QEEG

brain map great way to know diagnostically what the real issues are. Dr. Roseann says

that objectively looking at the brain waves, we can see what is impacting the Central

Nervous System and causing dysregulation and thereby get a clearer diagnostic picture

and is 89% accurate as a diagnostic test of ADHD versus behavioral rating scales which

are 47 to 58% accurate. Behavioral rating scales are not only subjective, but they also

only give us a glance as to what is impacting the Central Nervous System (CNS),

especially since ADHD in adults is different than in children says Dr. Rosann [ CITATION

DrRoseann \l 1033 ].

Reason #3- “Psychostimulants Can Hurt the Brain”. Dr. Roseann explains that

long term use of a variety of psychoactive stimulants may produce extreme behavioral

changes as well as structural and neurochemical fluctuations in the brain that may

persist long after drug administration has ceased. This means that psychostimulants

can produce changes in the brain that cause the CNS to respond differently, which can

then cause persistent adverse behaviors. Dr. Roseann states, ADHD medications for

that for some teens and children, become the gateway to later drug usage [ CITATION

DrRoseann \l 1033 ].

Reason #4- “Holistic therapies for ADHD Are Effective”. Dr. Roseann explains

that understanding that the CNS causes the problem is the first step, to finding better

tools for your child. Other equally effective therapies are available, which include

Neurofeedback, which has virtually no known side effects. Unfortunately, physicians,

psychologists, therapists, and school personnel just are not being taught about these

treatments. Dr. Roseann says that neurofeedback is highly researched and an effective
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treatment for ADHD, as documented through a 3,000 peer-reviewed studies [ CITATION

DrRoseann \l 1033 ].

Reason #5- “Psychotherapy and Coaching is Needed for Children with ADHD”.

Dr. Roseann explains that children need to be taught direct skills to support their deficit

areas, and medication is not a substitute for that. Helping someone be more focused

does not mean their behaviors will change. Over time, ADHD suffers can learn new

ways to approach or manage a situation or task, especially if they lack executive

functioning skills [ CITATION DrRoseann \l 1033 ].

To sum up everything that has been stated so far, there is so much

documentation that there is an increase in ADHD diagnosis and that it is not being over

diagnosed. There are many reasons for the cause of the increase such as, better

insurance, better understanding of what ADHD is and how to treat it, more medications

for patients to try. We have learned from the research that boys and girls suffer from

ADHD just the same even though it has been suggested that boys have a greater

chance then girls. Children ages 12-17 have a higher percentage of having ADHD then

younger children. There still are no real answers as to how someone gets ADHD but

there are suggestions that it could be from low birth weight, genetics, or other health

conditions such as anxiety, autism, depression, or other causes. The increase in

diagnosis is mainly due to the more research that has been completed as well as the

continued research. The ACA has been extremely beneficial, so that many people can

now afford to get treatment that couldn’t before. Thanks to research, parents of children

with ADD/ADHD are now getting treatment for ADHD also. Everyone has different
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opinions or thoughts on treatment and with the many options out there, there is

something that could benefit everyone.

Works Cited
Bluth, Rachel. https://www.spectrumnews.org/news/attention-deficit-diagnoses-nearly-double-two-
decades/?format=pdf. 8 Sept 2018. 14 Oct 2021.

CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html. 23 Sept 2021. 19 Oct 2021.

Clemmitt, Marcia. "Treating ADHD." CQ Researcher (2012): 669-92.

Editors, ADDitude and Psy.D. medically reviewd by Sharon Saline.

https://www.additudemag.com/statistics-of-adhd/#:~:text=Adult%20ADHD%20diagnosis
%20rates%20are,to%20123.3%20percent%20among%20adults). 25 June 2021. 19 Oct 2021.

Gunnerson, Tate and Bhandari, Smitha MD. https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-history. 20 July

2020. 20 Oct 2021.

Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/history#today. 12 Oct 2017. 19 Oct 2021.

Lehto, Jane. https://www.additudemag.com/adhd-medical-insurance-battle/. 7 Sept 2021. 14 Oct 2021.

Rodden, Janice and MD, LF-APA medically reviewed by William Dodson. "ADDitude." 2 June 2021.
https://www.additudemag.com/history-of-adhd/. 30 October 2021.

Roseann, Dr. "Dr Roseann." 2021. https://drroseann.com/5-reasons-to-not-medicate-adhd-in-children/.

Oct 2021.

Zablotsky, Benjamin Ph.D and . Alford M.S., Josephine M.

"https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db358.htm." March 2020. National Center for
Health Statistics. 14 Oct 2021.
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