Survey: 7 percent of elementary school children diagnosed with ADHD
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Posted 6:03PM on Tuesday, May 21, 2002
ATLANTA - About seven percent of elementary school children in the United States have been diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. <br>
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According to a government survey released Tuesday, boys are about two-and-a-half times as likely to have been diagnosed with ADHD than girls. <br>
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The survey is based on interviews in 1997 and 1998 with parents. It comes as health experts struggle to figure out how common the disorder is. <br>
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ADHD symptoms may include short attention span, impulsive behavior and difficulty focusing and sitting still. But doctors admit those guidelines can be vague, and some have suggested ADHD is overdiagnosed. <br>
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The government report is based on data from the National Health Interview Survey, which covers households across the country.