The “Epidemic” Myth: Why Does It Seem Like Every Kid Has ADHD Now?

If you talk to your grandparents, they might say: “In my day, nobody had ADHD. You just sat still or you got in trouble.”

Now, it seems like 1 in every 10 kids has a diagnosis. This leads to the cynical headline we see all the time: Is ADHD being over-diagnosed?

The short answer is: Probably not.

The long answer is that we aren’t seeing a sudden “epidemic” of a new disease. We are seeing the result of better vision.

Here is why the numbers are rising, and why that’s actually a good thing.

1. The “Left-Handed” Effect

In the early 1900s, the rate of left-handedness was very low (about 3%). Why? Because schools forced left-handed kids to write with their right hands, often punishing them if they switched back.

Once schools stopped punishing it, the rate of left-handedness “skyrocketed” to about 12% and then leveled off.

We didn’t suddenly create more left-handed people. We just stopped forcing them to act right-handed.

ADHD is the same. We stopped calling these kids “naughty” or “stupid” and started recognizing their neurology.

2. We Found the Missing Girls

For decades, ADHD was considered a “hyperactive boy” condition.

If you were a quiet girl who stared out the window (Inattentive Type), you weren’t diagnosed. You were just called a “daydreamer.”

Now that we know ADHD presents differently in girls (and high-masking boys), we are finally counting the other half of the population. The numbers aren’t doubling; we are just finally checking the whole room.

3. The World Got Harder for ADHD Brains

A hundred years ago, if you had high energy and a short attention span, you might have left school at 12 to work on a farm or in a trade. Your ADHD traits (high energy, physical movement) might have been an advantage.

Today, we ask kids to sit in a plastic chair for 6 hours a day, focus on abstract data, and navigate complex social media hierarchies.

The impairment is more obvious now because the modern environment is uniquely hostile to the ADHD brain.

4. Survival Bias (Medical Advances)

There is one biological factor. Advances in neonatal care mean that babies born very prematurely or with low birth weights are surviving at much higher rates.

Research shows these “miracle babies” have a higher statistical likelihood of developing ADHD. We have more ADHD kids partly because we are better at saving lives.

5. The Screen Time Question

Let’s address the elephant in the room. Did iPads cause this?

No. Screens do not cause ADHD.

However, fast-paced media does mimic the dopamine hit an ADHD brain craves, making the symptoms more obvious when the screen is taken away. The screens aren’t creating the condition, but they might be highlighting the struggle.

The Bottom Line

We don’t have an epidemic of “broken” kids. We have a generation of parents and doctors who are finally willing to give these kids the support they deserve.

The goal isn’t to get the numbers down. The goal is to ensure every child who struggles gets seen.The Missing X-Ray: How is ADHD Actually Diagnosed?