Debate Adhd Debate
The Debate
There has been a debate over whether ADHD is being overdiagnosed, thus overmedicating patients. The rate of ADHD diagnoses has increased immensely. In 1990, 900,000 youths were diagnosed with the disorder; while in 2000, three to four million children are diagnosed with the disorder (Mayes, 2009). This increased rate can be attributed to many factors. The age range for the diagnosis of ADHD has broadened, allowing more children as young as four to be diagnosed with the disorder (Rubin, 2011). Previously, a child had to be at least six years old to be diagnosed with the disorder. Medicaid money spent on pharmaceuticals, much of which is spent on stimulants (which are used to combat ADHD symptoms), increased by $6.1 million from 1991
There has been a debate over whether ADHD is being overdiagnosed, thus overmedicating patients. The rate of ADHD diagnoses has increased immensely. In 1990, 900,000 youths were diagnosed with the disorder; while in 2000, three to four million children are diagnosed with the disorder (Mayes, 2009). This increased rate can be attributed to many factors. The age range for the diagnosis of ADHD has broadened, allowing more children as young as four to be diagnosed with the disorder (Rubin, 2011). Previously, a child had to be at least six years old to be diagnosed with the disorder. Medicaid money spent on pharmaceuticals, much of which is spent on stimulants (which are used to combat ADHD symptoms), increased by $6.1 million from 1991