The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta reveals that in the last four years, the rate of patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) increased 22 percent. Approximately 1 out of 10 US children is suffering from the disorder.

The CDC documents the prevalent and newly upcoming diseases in the US and works on disease prevention solutions. Their budget compromises $9 billion and highly educated researchers count for the CDC’s staff.

Critics of the methods of CDC are concerned with the validity of the new findings. Random household samples were taken via phone interviews in which parents were asked for the medical records of their children. The interviews are said to be conducted by non-medical experts.

The criticism directs the fact that the CDC did not bother to meet the parents and their kids in face-to-face inquires to backup their phone data. Medical samples to confirm the phone statements have further not been obtained.

Critics argue that parents who have children with the particular disorder might not have been comfortable to report them on the phone. Other parents might have hastily confirmed a disorder without being properly informed what ADHD actually is. Many kids might face trouble with authorities at school or at home which does not simultaneously imply that they suffer from ADHD.

The questionable telephone diagnoses might lead to the consequence that more children are actually treated with Ritalin than necessary.