Though several sources agree that attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is is on the rise, new numbers question how much. According to a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics, diagnoses of ADHD increased 24 percent in Southern California over the past 10 years, bringing to issue previous estimates.
As part of the study, doctors reviewed the charts of children treated at the Kaiser Permanante Southern California physician’s group from 2001 to 2010 – 842,830 children in all. They found that in 2001, 2.5 percent of children age 5 to 11 were diagnosed with ADHD, but that number increased to 3.1 percent in 2010.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 9.5 percent of children age 4 to 17 have ADHD. Researchers in the California study believe their estimate gives a more accurate picture of the rate of ADHD in Southern California because they reviewed actual medical records, rather than relying on parents to respond to telephone surveys, which is how the CDC got its number. Furthermore, the majority of ADHD diagnoses in the California study were made by specialists using strict Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) diagnoses. This complicates previous estimates, as new research found that only 38 percent of primary care physicians actually use the DSM-IV for diagnosing ADHD.
When we introduced our two concussion apps, the Concussion Recognition and Response™ (CRR) and the Concussion Assessment & Response™: Sport Version (CARE), it was our hope that they would help as many children as possible to play sports safely. In order to reach a wider audience, we are pleased to announce that we will be reducing the price of the CRR app from $3.99 to 99 cents and the CARE from $9.99 to $4.99. The CRR app helps parents and coaches to recognize when an individual is exhibiting signs and symptoms of a suspected concussion, helping them to respond quickly in less than five minutes. The CARE app provides tools for athletic trainers, team physicians, and other qualified health care professionals to assess the likelihood of a concussion and respond appropriately in less than five minutes. PAR donates 15 percent of the proceeds from the sale of this app to concussion research at the Children’s National Medical Center and the Matthew A. Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Visit the App Store or Google Play to download your copy of the app today!
PAR’s Customers clearly understand what “Creating Connections and Changing Lives” means—our 2012 “Capture the Connection” photography contest solicited 178 entries! Narrowing our choices to just three was a difficult task conducted by two professional photographers and our in-house marketing team.
The efforts and talent of all those who entered are greatly appreciated. The full gallery is available at http://www.parinc.com/capture/Gallery.aspx.
And now, on to our winners!
First Place Aloha C. Romay, MS Clinical Psychology Paducah, KY
Second Place Bonnie Voegeli, PsyD School Psychologist Brookfield, CT
Third Place Terri Sisson School Psychologist Madison County, VA