More than one in 10 children have been diagnosed with ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a survey shows, but that number may be leveling off.
ADHD diagnoses have increased since 1997, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They were increasing at a rate of about 6 percent a year in the mid-2000s, but slowed to 4 percent a year from 2007 to 2011. The CDC's Susanna Visser
told The Associated Press that may be because doctors are closer to diagnosing ADHD in most kids who have it.
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The latest data is from a 2011 survey of more than 95,000 parents. Parents were asked if a health care provider told them their child had ADHD, the AP reported. It's unclear how thorough the assessment was to come to that conclusion.
Symptoms of ADHD include difficulty with staying focused, paying attention, controlling behavior, and being overly active.
Studies suggest that genes play a large role in the development of the common childhood disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Researchers are looking at possible environmental factors, and about how brain injuries, nutrition, and the social environment might contribute to ADHD.
There is no cure for ADHD, but it can be successfully managed and some symptoms may improve as the child ages, according to the CDC.
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