July 23, 2008

ATLANTA (AP) -- A new government report says more older children are being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, while the rate is holding steady for children under 12.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 4.4 million U.S. children have been diagnosed with ADHD by medical professionals.

The study didn't investigate why the increase in one age group was so much higher than the other. It found the percentage of older children diagnosed with ADHD has been rising by 4 percent each year.

Some experts say the increase may reflect that doctors are increasingly considering the possibility of ADHD in older kids who have concentration problems -- a trend that coincides with the marketing of ADHD medications to teens and adults.

Some experts says the finding may also reflect the misuse of Ritalin and other ADHD medications in that age group as study aids and recreational stimulants.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder -- characterized by impulsiveness, hyperactivity and inability to focus attention – is a behavioral and learning problem that usually appears in children by age 7. The problem often is identified in school.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)