Health · Mental Health · 6 hrs ago
Psychologist says rising expectations may fuel ADHD concerns in children
Neuropsychologist Katie S. Davis says some parents seek diagnoses when their children struggle, but she urges them not to rush.
In the US, the share of children with an ADHD diagnosis rose from 8.6% in 2016 to 10.5% in 2023.
Davis says rising expectations at school may be part of the reason, as parents increasingly expect children to excel.
ADHD symptoms must appear in at least two major settings, such as home and school, for a diagnosis.
Davis says some classroom restlessness is normal for young children, and children should be assessed in comparison with their peers.
She warns that treating diagnoses as insignificant can make it harder for people with serious needs to secure accommodations and services.
Parent-reported diagnoses of ADHD and other childhood learning conditions have increased in recent years, according to the article.
Neuropsychologist Katie S. Davis says rising expectations for children and parents seeking explanations for perceived struggles may help explain the trend.
Davis says children should be assessed against peers and across settings, rather than on classroom behavior alone.
She cautions that rushing to a diagnosis may have long-term consequences for children and for people who need accommodations and services.
- Who
- Katie S. Davis, a clinical neuropsychologist who specializes in childhood learning disorders, discussed the issue.
- What
- Davis says rising expectations may contribute to concerns about ADHD and other diagnoses in children.
- When
- The article was published on October 15, 2026. It cites diagnosis estimates for 2016 and 2023.
- Where
- The figures cited concern children in the United States.
- Why
- Davis says academic expectations are rising and some parents seek explanations when their children seem to be lagging behind.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
An estimated 8.6% of US children ages 3 to 17 had a current ADHD diagnosis.
The estimated share of US children ages 3 to 17 with a current ADHD diagnosis was 10.5%.
- ADHD diagnoses in 2016
- 8.6% of US children ages 3 to 17
- ADHD diagnoses in 2023
- 10.5% of US children ages 3 to 17
- Learning-disability diagnoses
- Parent-reported lifetime diagnoses among children ages 6 to 17 rose 16.4% from 2016 to 2023
- Article publication
- October 15, 2026
What people are saying
Doing well in school is no longer good — you have to be at the top of the pack
Parents want excellence, and if it's not excellent, it's bad.
for nine kids out of 10, that sounds like a kid in an elementary school.