Myth # 4: Children with ADHD are Over-medicated

Most evidence from research studies suggest that levels of treating ADHD with medication are either appropriate or that ADHD is undertreated (Connor 2015). According to the National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) 2003–2011, of the 5.1 million children with a current diagnosis of ADHD, 69% (or 3.5 million) were taking medication for ADHD. Data from the National Comorbidity Survey Adolescent Supplement, which included over 10,000 adolescents aged 13–18, found that only 20.4% of those with ADHD received stimulants (Merikangas et al. 2013). Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey report a 7.8% prevalence rate of ADHD among the 3,042 participants aged 8–15, but only about 48% of them were receiving treatment in the past 12 months (Merikangas et al. 2010).