ADHD AWARNESS MONTH
- CYS Communications Team
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
October marks ADHD Awareness Month—a time to raise understanding and promote education around Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. According to a 2022 national parent survey, “an estimated 7 million U.S. children ages 3–17 (approximately 11.4%) have been diagnosed with ADHD.” (1) Many of the young people we serve in our community are impacted by ADHD—whether they have a formal diagnosis or are experiencing symptoms without one.
Research shows that the rate of ADHD is five times higher among youth in juvenile detention and ten times higher in adult prisons compared to the general population. (2) People with ADHD are “two to three times more likely to be arrested, convicted, and put into prison than those without ADHD”. (3) These disparities are not coincidental—they reflect a pattern in which the core symptoms of ADHD, such as impulsivity, inattention, hyperactivity, and difficulty with executive functioning, may contribute to behaviors that are more likely to draw the attention of law enforcement. As a result, youth with ADHD are more likely to be labeled as disruptive or delinquent, rather than recognized as needing support. This creates a harmful cycle where their underlying needs go unmet, appropriate interventions are overlooked, and they are continually misidentified and misunderstood.
Staying informed about the latest research is essential to better support our youth and create environments where they can thrive.
Here are some myths and facts on ADHD that you may not know:
Myth: ADHD is caused by bad parenting.
Fact: Brain-imaging studies show that differences in brain structure and wiring cause challenges with attention, impulse control and motivation (4)
Myth: Everyone has a little bit of ADHD
Fact: There are structural and functional differences in brain structures when comparing people without ADHD to those with ADHD (5)
Myth: ADHD is a caused by eating too much sugar.
Fact: Scientific research has established no causal link between consumption of sugar, food additives, or food dyes, and ADHD. (6)
Myth: ADHD is over diagnosed.
Fact: The feeling of ADHD being more prevalent in society is related to more research, more awareness, and more open discussions about the topic not overdiagnosis. It is no longer a silent stigma. (7)
Resources and organizations:
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