Data on ADHD in Children

For Everyone

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.
Doctor sitting on couch with mother and daughter going over chart.

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.

ADHD diagnosis

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%).1
  • 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.1
  • Approximately 6% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander children were diagnosed with ADHD.2
  • Overall, non-Hispanic children (11%) were diagnosed with ADHD more often than Hispanic children (8%).12
See Also Trends 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.2
  • 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.2
See Also ADHD Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Adolescents in 2022: Diagnosis, Severity, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Treatment

ADHD diagnosis and treatment estimates vary by state

State-based ADHD diagnosis estimates (2020–2023)

ADHD Diagnosis
State Estimates
"Ever"A
Vary from 6% to 17%
"Current"B
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

A young boy with his parents on the couch pointing at a tablet
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.

Other concerns and conditions with 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:2

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

Keep Reading Other Concerns and Conditions with ADHD

Interactive Data Charts - Co-occurring conditions with ADHD2

Treatment of ADHD

Clinical care of ADHD in children

Doctor meeting with parents and their son in office to discuss treatment plans.
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 20222

A national parent survey reported on medication and behavior treatment for children 3–17 years of age with current ADHD:2

  • 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 2016.23
  • 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).

Did you know?

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

Interactive Data Charts - Treatment of ADHD2

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:4

  • 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 Also Clinical Care for Children and Adults with ADHD

More data on ADHD

map of united states with the word ADHD in front of map on table
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.
Young adult female patient talking with doctor
Data on ADHD in Adults
Explore more information about ADHD in adults.

Data sources

Print
Content Source:
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
  1. "Ever" diagnosis: Refers to when an individual has received an ADHD diagnosis from a provider at any point in their life.
  2. "Current" diagnosis: Refers to when an individual with an ADHD diagnosis is currently experiencing symptoms and, in many cases, requires ongoing treatment or management.
  1. Katz SM, Claussen AH, Alberto CK, et al. Trends in Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Among U.S. Children, 2016-2023. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. Published online February 13, 2026.
  2. Danielson ML, Claussen AH, Bitsko RH, et al. ADHD Prevalence Among U.S. Children and Adolescents in 2022: Diagnosis, Severity, Co-Occurring Disorders, and Treatment. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2024;53(3):343-360.
  3. Danielson ML, Holbrook JR, Bitsko RH, et al. State-Level Estimates of the Prevalence of Parent-Reported ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment Among U.S. Children and Adolescents, 2016 to 2019. J Atten Disord. 2022;26(13):1685-1697.
  4. Danielson ML, Claussen AH, Arifkhanova A, Gonzalez MG, Surman C. Who Provides Outpatient Clinical Care for Adults With ADHD? Analysis of Healthcare Claims by Types of Providers Among Private Insurance and Medicaid Enrollees, 2021. J Atten Disord. 2024;28(8):1225-1235.