ADHD On the Rise, Especially Among Latinos

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Since 2003 Latino children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) has increased by a whopping 83 percent, Fox News Latino reports.

Between 2003 and 2011 the number of Latino children ages 5-17 with ADHD increased by 3.5 percent–“the largest increase of any racial or ethnic group,” according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Researchers believe that the steep rise in new cases of ADHD among Latino kids is due in part to greater awareness and more information in Spanish.

“There could be greater knowledge of the signs of ADHD in the school system and among parents, leading to more parents having their children assessed,” Sean Cleary, associate professor of epidemiology and Biostatistics at the School of Public Health at George Washington University, told Fox News Latino.

Overall the number of cases of ADHD “have gone up  by 43 percent and  the number of girls with ADHD rose by 55 percent, which is higher than the increase among boys (40%).”