Since the pandemic, referrals and diagnoses for ADHD are up 30% at Rady Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Willough Jenkins, a child psychiatrist and medical director of emergency and consultation liaison psychiatry at Rady Children's Hospital, said the increase in diagnoses and referrals caught her attention. Jenkins has some ideas about what might be behind the upticks.
“Just spending more time with your children, you’re getting more data,” Jenkins said. “So, I think more parents were able to recognize, ‘My child is struggling more with their ability to concentrate, their ability to focus.’”
She said parents are also paying more attention to their kids' mental health.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a clinical diagnosis that requires a pediatrician, psychiatrist or psychologist to determine. Jenkins said having ADHD is not a bad thing and schools can play a large role in framing it in a positive way by giving kids more time on tests or allowing them to test in quieter rooms.
“There’s still myths out there that ADHD isn’t a real thing — that’s absolutely not true,” Jenkins said. “Some of the myths do persist, but really the tide is changing.”
Kids with ADHD can be impulsive, easily distracted or have difficulty getting along with others. The CDC reports, “ADHD is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood.”
Many people who are diagnosed with ADHD will use medication at some point to manage symptoms. During the pandemic the CDC reported large increases among kids using prescription stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin, which are commonly prescribed for ADHD.
Jenkins said while medication can be effective with managing symptoms not everyone needs it. Having a more structured environment or things like physical activity can also help.
With many schools closing for summer break, Jenkins said the free time can be a mixed bag for kids with ADHD.
“Keeping up some type of structure during the summer is recommended,” Jenkins said. “Now for some children, school is really where their ADHD symptoms cause them the most difficulty, because that’s where their concentration and their ability to focus on things they don't want to focus on is stressed. So, they might find the summer a more positive time.”
