Data on ADHD in Children

At a glance

• This page includes information about attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents from different data sources.
• CDC uses datasets from parent surveys and healthcare claims to better understand diagnosis and treatment patterns for ADHD.
• Estimates for diagnosis and treatment can vary due to different factors.

Data for action

CDC works with partners to use the data we collect to help children and adolescents with ADHD and their families get the right care, at the right time.

CDC turns ADHD data into ACTION through

• Using national surveys, including the Health & Resources Administration (HRSA)'s National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH), to understand how many children have ADHD, and the types of treatment they are receiving.
• Learning more about how children with ADHD are diagnosed.
• Funding and working with CHADD's National Resource Center on ADHD to provide evidence-based information about ADHD to families and professionals.

Millions of U.S. children have been diagnosed with ADHD

• An estimated 7 million (11.7%) U.S. children aged 3–17 years have a current ADHD diagnosis, according to data collected in 2024 from a national survey of parents.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Prevalence and Health Care Access, 2024: Data Brief

HRSA's National Survey of Children's Health provides the latest ADHD estimates on U.S. children aged 3-17 years.

ADHD estimates by sex, race, and ethnicity (2022-2023)

• Boys (13%) were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls (7%).
• Black children and White children were more often diagnosed with ADHD (both 11%) than Asian children (3%). American Indian/Alaska Native children (8%) were also more often diagnosed with ADHD than Asian children.
• Approximately 6% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children were diagnosed with ADHD.
• Overall, non-Hispanic children (11%) were diagnosed with ADHD more often than Hispanic children (8%).

See AlsoTrends in Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Among U.S. Children, 2016-2023

ADHD symptoms can vary in severity

• About 6 in 10 children had moderate or severe ADHD.
• Children with both ADHD and another co-occurring condition, such as behavioral or conduct problems, learning disorders, anxiety, or depression, more often had severe ADHD than children with ADHD without other co-occurring conditions.

See AlsoADHD Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Adolescents in 2022: Diagnosis, Severity, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Treatment

State-based ADHD diagnosis estimates (2020–2023)

• Estimates among U.S. children aged 3–17 years who have been diagnosed with ADHD vary across states.

ADHD Diagnosis

State Estimates

"Ever"

Vary from 6% to 17%

"Current"

Vary from 6% to 15%

State-based ADHD treatment estimates (2020–2023)

• Estimates for receiving any ADHD treatment among children with current ADHD vary from 58% to 80% across states.

ADHD Treatment Types

State Estimates

ADHD Behavior Therapy

Vary from 36% to 57%

ADHD Medication

Vary from 38% to 72%

More findings

ADHD Data and Resources for States

Information and resources on ADHD in each state.

Identifying Risk Factors for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Public Health Concern and Opportunity

Informing public health efforts to prevent, reduce the severity of, and lessen the prevalence of ADHD.

Many children with ADHD also have other co-occurring conditions

According to a national parent survey, nearly 78% of children with ADHD had at least one other co-occurring condition:

• Almost half of the children with ADHD had a behavior or conduct problem.
• About 4 in 10 of the children with ADHD had anxiety.

Other conditions affecting children with ADHD include depression, autism spectrum disorder, and Tourette syndrome.

Keep ReadingOther Concerns and Conditions with ADHD

Clinical care of ADHD in children

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has developed a clinical practice guideline that provides recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of children and adolescents with ADHD.

Nearly 2 million U.S. children with ADHD did not receive ADHD-specific treatment in 2022

A national parent survey reported on medication and behavior treatment for children 3–17 years of age with current ADHD:

• About 30% of children with ADHD did not receive medication treatment or behavior treatment, compared with 23% of children 3–17 years of age with ADHD in 2016.
• About 32% children with ADHD received both medication treatment and behavior treatment.
• Overall, the total number of children receiving behavior treatment increased from 2016 (2.5 million) to 2022 (2.8 million).

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Did you know?

Treatment recommendations for ADHD vary by age group and can include behavior therapy and medication.
Treatment of ADHD

ADHD care is provided by many different healthcare professionals

In addition to parent-reported data, healthcare claims data from Medicaid or employer-sponsored insurance provide another way to understand treatment patterns. In 2021, among U.S. children ages 3–17 years:

• Many children received ADHD care from a primary care clinician, such as a pediatrician or family doctor. Almost half of children covered through private insurance and about 1 in 4 children with Medicaid received ADHD care from a pediatrician.
• Nurse practitioners and psychiatric nurses also play an important role in ADHD care for children, providing care for nearly 1 in 5 children with Medicaid.
• Children with Medicaid were less likely to receive ADHD care from a healthcare specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.

See AlsoClinical Care for Children and Adults with ADHD

More data on ADHD

Trends in ADHD Among U.S. Children

CDC uses national survey data to look at trends in ADHD data among U.S. children and adolescents.

Data on ADHD in Adults

Explore more information about ADHD in adults.

Data sources

• MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters (CCE) Database & MarketScan® Multi-State Medicaid Database | Merative™
• National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) | MCHB (hrsa.gov)
• National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of ADHD and Tourette Syndrome****

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