Is ADHD the most misdiagnosed disorder in children?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed and misdiagnosed disorders in children. In the US alone, more than 4.5 million children are diagnosed with the disorder. Nearly a fourth of these children may be misdiagnosed and, as a result, are receiving inappropriate,ineffective and even harmful treatment. Recent research from the Michigan State University indicates that around one million children in the US are misdiagnosed with ADHD, a psychiatric disorder characterized by difficulty focusing and maintaining attention, hyperactivity, disruptive behavior, and impulsivity. In this study of 12,000 children, it was found that children below the age of 5 were 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than older children and were twice as likely to be prescribed stimulant medication such as Ritalin . As noted by the researchers, younger children are developmentally less attentive and more active in comparison to their slightly older counterpart
