The diagnostic criteria for ADHD are largely based on studies of young white boys — and do not reflect the lived experiences of many adults with the condition.
This gap between clinical guidance and real-life symptoms has contributed to a decades-long problem with misdiagnosis, missed diagnoses, and inadequate treatment for individuals who slipped under the ADHD radar in childhood.ADHD persists into adulthood for up to 90% of children with the condition, however, only 33% of pediatricians, 30% of family practitioners, 25% of nurse practitioners, and 22% of internists said that they received adequate training on ADHD in medical school, according to data presented by the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD) at its 2024 conference.
APSARD is now working to remedy this obstacle to care with the first-ever guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults.
In 2023, it established a 27-member task force that is devising clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults.
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