Research Suggests Latino/Hispanic Children Living with AD/HD are Less Likely to be Diagnosed and Treated for the Disorder than Non-Latino Youth

“Research on the prevalence of AD/HD among Latino children and adolescents suggests that while 8.6 percent of non-Latino youth ages 8-15 meet the criteria for having AD/HD, only 3.7 percent of Latino/Hispanics ages 4-17 have been diagnosed with the disorder.

According to the research, this does not mean that Latino/Hispanic children are less likely to have AD/HD, but that they are less likely to be diagnosed and treated.

On Saturday, October 6th, the national organization serving people affected by AD/HD (CHADD) will host a free community forum on this important topic for the Spanish-speaking population. CHADD, the nation’s largest family based organization for AD/HD, will share crucial, science-based information on how to address and identify the disorder early on.

“Despite an increase in awareness on AD/HD in the media, many parents and families are still not familiar with the disorder, or hold a perception that it is often misdiagnosed, said Dr. José J. Bauermeister, clinical psychologist, researcher at the University of Puerto Rico and a speaker at CHADD’s October 6 event. “The Latino community may be in even greater need of learning about AD/HD, given the treatment disparities.”

Attendees to the October 6 event will learn about the importance of family support groups, discuss challenges within their own experiences and explore resources within the community. The event will take place at the Arlington Central Public Library from 9:30 am-2pm. Lunch will be served.

“Individuals with AD/HD are at risk for facing more adaptation problems at school, home, and work. Understanding and treating AD/HD can reduce these adaptation problems and, more importantly, increase a person’s opportunities for personal, social, educational and occupational attainment,” added Bauermeister.

The Arlington Public Library is located at 1015 N. Quincy St., in Arlington, Va. Registration is requested, but not mandatory. For more information, including directions and assistance with childcare during the forum, call toll-free at 1-800-233-4050 ext 107 (English) or 1-866-200-8098 (Spanish).

JUST THE FACTS:

– CHADD to Host Free Hispanic/Latino Community forum on AD/HD

– Saturday, October 6th, 9:30am-2:00pm

– Arlington County Library

– Lunch will be served

– Interested parties should register by calling 1-800-233-4050 ext 107 (English) or 1-866-200-8098 (Spanish).

With 14,000 members and 200 chapters nationwide, CHADD is the nation’s largest family-based organization serving people affected by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD), which is characterized by hyperactivity, impulsive behavior and an inability to pay attention to tasks. CHADD works to improve the lives of people affected by AD/HD through collaborative leadership, advocacy, research, education and support. For more information, please visit

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