How Common Is ADHD?

You may hear more now about ADHD

 than ever, but just how common is it? That's hard to say exactly, because researchers have used different techniques to answer that question.

Many reports estimate that anywhere from 5% to 8% of school-age kids have the disorder. But the CDC now puts it at 11%.

Some studies have relied on parents saying that a health care provider told them their child has the disorder. But that doesn't necessarily mean that the child meets all the criteria for the condition, says Craig Surman, MD, co-author of Fast Minds: How to Thrive if You Have ADHD (Or Think You Might).

Some doctors might give children an ADHD label even when they may have another educational, behavioral, or mental issue. The flip side is that some kids who truly have the disorder aren't getting diagnosed with it.