New ADHD Study: Most Pediatricians Ignore Mental Health

A new study finds that 56 percent of primary care physicians never ask parents about the mental health of their children, or inquire about ADHD symptoms.

They poke into his ears, tap his knees, and measure his temperature, but the majority of American primary care physicians never ask a child or his parents about mental health issues. This is a new finding reported in the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health released this week.

According to that study, 56 percent of parents say their PCPs never ask their patients’ parents about mental health issues. 22 percent of parents report that their child’s PCP regularly asks and 22 percent report being asked sometimes. Among those parents who do discuss mental health concerns with a PCP, 62 percent report going on to use specialty mental health services for their children.

National estimates suggest that 1 in 10 American children suffers from a serious emotional or mental disorder – attention deficit disorder (ADHD), general behavior problems, and depression are chief among those conditions.

Read more about the National Poll on Children’s Health.