Between 2003 and 2011, U.S. Children saw a 43 percent increase in the number of ADHD diagnoses. Those increases were chiefly pronounced among girls and non-white communities, particularly Hispanics.

The new report appeared in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry on Dec. 8, and it was conducted by researchers at George Washington University who used CDC data. More than 190,000 children were examined, and it was acknowledged that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rose from 8.4 percent in 2003 to 12 percent in 2011.

While white children are most commonly diagnosed with ADHD, the report showed that new incidences of ADHD are developing most rapidly among non-white populations. Hispanic children were more likely to be identified as having ADHD. There was an 83 percent surge in ADHD diagnoses for Hispanic children; while black children saw a 58 percent increase.

There was also a sharp spike in diagnoses rates among girls. The numbers increased 55 percent, increasing to 7.3 percent in 2011 from 4.7 percent in 2003. With that said, boys, particularly white boys, still have high ADHD diagnosis rates. There's a thriving perception that ADHD is a "boys' disorder," but that perception is rapidly changing.

The study's co-author Sean Cleary said there's an increased trend of recognizing ADHD symptom (e.g. withdrawn, internalizing) in girls. Traditionally, girls with inattentive symptoms or ADHD have gone unrecognized. However, shifts in awareness means that a girl with ADHD is less likely to be overlooked in 2011.

Also, in 2011, older children (between the ages of 15 and 17) were more likely to be diagnosed. Diagnosis increased 52 percent for that age bracket. For similar reasons, non-white communities also saw improved recognition of struggling and inattentive symptoms. Additionally, better monitoring and screening, as well as increased evaluation of interpersonal and academic difficulties could be credited for hikes in diagnoses. Ethnically diverse communities, adolescents and girls are "being monitored more stringently for behavioral and academic difficulties including ADHD and other problems," according to Dr. Timothy Wilens, chief of child and adolescent psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Alternatively, the report suggested that increased pressure to perform has provoked more ADHD assessments for all adolescents. Nonetheless, experts indicated rising diagnosis rates aren't surprising, and they're consistent with trends recognized by U.S. clinicians for years.

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