In just 10 years the number of children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, rose dramatically, a large new study suggests. 
 
 Overall, about 5 percent of nearly 843,000 kids ages 5 to 11 were diagnosed between 2001 and 2010 with the condition that can cause impulsive behavior and trouble concentrating. But during that time, rates of new ADHD diagnoses skyrocketed 24 percent – jumping from 2.5 percent in 2001 to 3.1 percent in 2010. 
 
 That’s according to a comprehensive review of medical records for children who were covered by the Kaiser Permanente Southern California health plan. Rates rose most among minority kids during the study period, climbing nearly 70 percent overall in black children, and 60 percent among Hispanic youngsters, according the study published in JAMA Pediatrics. Among black girls, ADHD rates jumped 90 percent. 
 
 Rates remained highest in white children, climbing from 4.7 percent to 5.6 percent during the study period. 
 
 The biggest factor driving this increase may be the heightened awareness of ADHD among parents, teachers, and pediatricians, says the study’s lead author Dr. Darios Getahun, a scientist with Kaiser Permanente. For kids who need help, that’s a good thing, Getahun says. 
 
 “The earlier a diagnosis is made, the earlier we can initiate treatment which leads to a better outcome for the child,” he says. 
 
 Unlike previous studies in which researchers relied on reports from parents and teachers to say whether a child had ADHD, the new study tracked kids who were diagnosed according to ADHD medical codes entered by child and adolescent psychiatrists, developmental and behavioral pediatricians, child psychologists and neurologists. 
 
 ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorders. Experts estimate that anywhere from 4 percent to 12 percent of school-age children are affected, many of whom continue to suffer from the disorder into adulthood. 
 
 Rates of diagnosis in the new study were greater in families with higher incomes, with nearly three-quarters of kids with ADHD coming from families that earned more than $50,000 a year. 
 
 “Higher rates of ADHD observed in affluent, white families likely represent an effort by these highly educated parents to seek help for their children who may not be fulfilling their expectations for schoolwork,” Getahun and his co-workers write. 
 
 Boys still outnumber girls 3 to 1 in ADHD diagnoses, but the gap appears to be closing among black girls. 
 
 “The increasing rate of ADHD among girls is an interesting finding and could represent an effort by parents to get more help for their daughters,” the authors say. 
 
 There was no change in the rate among Asian kids, but Getahun suspects this may have something to do with culture. Asians, as a rule, have been less likely to use mental health services and are more likely to discontinue therapy despite having equal access to care, Getahun says. 
 
 A child development specialist unaffiliated with the new study says he suspects that increased awareness of ADHD may have contributed to the increasing rate of diagnosis. 
 
 “Heightened professional awareness in general and improved efforts to detect ADHD exert an influence, but we cannot tell the magnitude of that,” says Alan Kazdin, the John M. Musser Professor of Psychology and Child Psychiatry at Yale University. 
 
 With all the coverage of the condition in the media, parents and teachers now have a better sense of what signs to look for, Kazdin says. 
 
 “Heightened awareness in the media, by parents and by teachers, too, may play a role. A child who in previous years just was said not to be able to control himself might now be more finely described.” 
 
 Related stories: ||||| A study found that boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. 
 
 More boys than girls are diagnosed with ADHD, according to a new study. (Photo: Kathleen O'Rourke, AP) Story Highlights Experts: Greater awareness contributed to rise in diagnoses 
 
 Kids from higher-income families more likely to be diagnosed 
 
 Psychologist says study has limitations 
 
 A new study of health records from California suggests that rates of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have jumped by 24% since 2001. 
 
 "That is a very significant increase," says Darios Getahun, a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Group who conducted the study. 
 
 The apparent rise in diagnoses is likely caused by growing awareness of the condition among parents and doctors, he and other specialists say. 
 
 The study looked at health records of more than 840,000 children, ages 5-11, who met a strict definition for ADHD, as diagnosed by a trained expert. It found that 2.5% of children were diagnosed with ADHD at the start of the study in 2001, vs. 3.1% in 2010. 
 
 The percentage diagnosed is lower than in many other studies because of the strict diagnostic criteria and because, unlike other research, the study relied only on health records, not parents' reports, Getahun says. 
 
 The study, published in Monday's issue of JAMA Pediatrics, was also large enough to break down those diagnosed by gender, race, family income and age. It found that boys were three times more likely to be diagnosed than girls. That may suggest that boys are more vulnerable to ADHD, as they are to autism, Getahun says. 
 
 It also may be because girls with the condition are often overlooked, says pediatrician Craig Garfield of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago. "We know that girls are more likely to show signs of inattention as opposed to hyperactivity, and therefore, the disorder often goes unnoticed and untreated." 
 
 The study also found that the gender gap is closing among black Americans, with a lot of the increase over the past decade explained by a rise in diagnoses among black girls. 
 
 Children of higher-income families are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, Getahun says, perhaps because their families are more concerned with their school performance and are more likely to seek a diagnosis. 
 
 Several ADHD experts question the validity of the study and whether the apparent increase in ADHD should be cause for concern. 
 
 "I don't agree with the language about 'epidemic' proportions and 'dramatic' increases," says Paul Hammerness, an ADHD expert at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. "It is my impression that absolute rates are fairly stable over time, from country to country as well." 
 
 Instead of worrying about an increase, Hammerness says Americans should focus on the quality of care provided to children with ADHD. 
 
 Benjamin Lahey, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, also questioned the study's methods and validity. 
 
 "I'm concerned that this paper will raise concerns that are not justified," says Lahey, who was on a scientific panel in the 1990s that helped develop the current definition of ADHD. "It certainly should not lead to the conclusion that there's an increase in the prevalence of ADHD in the United States." 
 
 The only thing the study shows is that diagnoses are rising among members of Kaiser Permanente health plans, he says. That may be because Kaiser Permanente under-diagnosed ADHD before or is over-diagnosing it now, he says — though he adds that he believes the former is more likely. 
 
 The study's reliance on doctors' records is also a weakness, he says. Doctors are notoriously inconsistent in how they diagnose ADHD, Lahey says. The same doctor is likely to judge two children very differently and may even give a different diagnosis to the same child seen on different days. The only way to do a reliable study, he says, is to use a specialized rating scale and consistent interviews scaled independently. Such research is very expensive and unlikely to be done, he adds. 
 
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– In just a decade, the percentage of children diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder jumped by a big percentage itself: 24%, per a new study. It reviewed the health records of some 840,000 kids in California, and found that 2.5% received an ADHD diagnosis in 2001; by 2010, that rate was 3.1%, reports USA Today. Among white children, in whom rates are the highest, rates rose from 4.7% to 5.6%. But the highest increase was seen in minority children: Rates rose almost 70% in black children (and 90% for black girls) and 60% in Hispanic kids. Overall, almost three-quarters of children diagnosed with ADHD live in families earning more than $50,000 a year, NBC News reports. "Higher rates of ADHD observed in affluent, white families likely represent an effort by these highly educated parents to seek help for their children who may not be fulfilling their expectations for schoolwork," notes the study. The lead author says the large jump could be due to parents, teachers, and doctors being more aware of ADHD, which is a positive for children who need treatment. Notably, this study relied on health records indicating ADHD, rather than parents' reports.