How common is ADHD?
ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions seen in children. Recent federal data estimates that one in ten kids and teens in the US has been diagnosed with ADHD. 1
Until recently, ADHD was thought by the medical community to be a childhood disorder that goes away in adulthood. This misconception has led to a large population of adults with undiagnosed ADHD. As a result, statistics on the prevalence of ADHD in adults don’t show the full picture. A 2006 survey concluded that 4.4% of US adults have ADHD 2 , but the actual figure is thought to be much higher.
ADHD Quick Facts
Boys are more than twice as likely to receive an ADHD diagnosis.
- 14.0% of U.S. boys have been diagnosed with ADHD
- 6.3% of U.S. girls have been diagnosed with ADHD 3
Among U.S. children with ADHD diagnoses:
- 31.7% receive medication and behavioral treatment
- 30.3% receive medication only
- 14.9% receive behavioral treatment only
- 23.0% receive neither behavioral treatment nor medication 4
ADHD often runs in families.
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Twenty-Year Trends in Diagnosed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among US Children and Adolescents, 1997-2016 - PMC. ↩
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Twenty-Year Trends in Diagnosed Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among US Children and Adolescents, 1997-2016 - PMC. ↩
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Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Associated Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016 (PDF) ↩
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Parental ADHD status and its association with proband ADHD subtype and severity ↩
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Other ADHD Related Data - CHADD and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Fourth Edition: A Handbook for Diagnosis and Treatment ↩
Myths vs. Facts
MYTH: ADHD only affects children.
FACT: Although it was once thought of as a childhood disorder that kids outgrow, research now shows that ADHD persists into adulthood.
MYTH: ADHD mainly affects boys.
FACT: Girls are more likely to have inattentive type ADHD with no hyperactivity. This causes less disruption and has made them more likely to be undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
MYTH: Having ADHD means you can’t achieve at a high level.
FACT: Wrong! People with ADHD can achieve at the very highest levels and have many traits that help them do so. People with ADHD include CEOs, Pulitzer Prize winners, professional athletes, brain surgeons, and multimillionaires.
MYTH: If you’re quiet, well-behaved, and do well in school, you can’t have ADHD.
FACT: Many people have inattentive ADHD without any signs of hyperactivity whatsoever. This is particularly common in girls and women.
MYTH: There’s no point in getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult because it’s already too late.
FACT: It’s never too late to treat ADHD. Whether you’re 25 or 85, you can change your life for the better through treatment.
MYTH: Stimulant medication helps everyone.
FACT: Stimulant medication helps around 80% of people with ADHD, and it helps to a varying degree. It’s also a myth that you can tell whether or not you have ADHD by taking stimulant medication. Even if stimulants improve your functioning, it does not mean you have ADHD.
Learn More
What is ADHD?
Treatment Options
The Diagnostic Process
ADHD Community & Resources