Why does it seem like there are more kids with ADHD than ever?

Although the percentage of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is probably the same as in the past, there are three possible reasons why it seems that “there is more ADHD” than ever:
First, we are more aware of issues like this as parents than we were as children. Now we have grown up and are more concerned about these issues since we have children of our own.
Second, the news and entertainment media have talked much more about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than in the past, raising our levels of awareness.
Third, a recent study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that 5.5% of women REPORTED using illicit drugs while pregnant; 18.8% REPORTED consuming alcohol and 20.4% REPORTED consuming tobacco during pregnancy. Children who were exposed to drugs in the womb, or children with fetal alcohol syndrome, have many of the same problems as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and are often misdiagnosed by doctors as ADHD .
In our rural California area it is estimated that 10% of all children born in our county were exposed to drugs or alcohol by their mothers during pregnancy.
There are no known “safe levels” of drug, alcohol, or tobacco use during pregnancy. Drug or alcohol use is especially dangerous for the developing baby and can often cause neurological problems. When these children enter school, they often show problems with attention, impulse control, temperament, learning, and behavior. They are often misdiagnosed as having a genetically based attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
However, instead of having a genetically based Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), what they actually suffer from are structural head injuries due to their mother’s previous behaviors. ADHD is not a “fashionable” disorder, nor is it a conspiracy by drug companies to get more kids on drugs. It is a very real neurological condition that is common enough to require that parents, teachers, and doctors become better informed about its causes, available treatment options, and the potential problems of doing nothing. Learn more about ADHD at the ADHD Information Library.