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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a unique diagnosis to the late twentieth century. Children are most commonly diagnosed as they move through the education system, when "difficult" behaviors emerge. Since the 1990s, the number of children diagnosed has skyrocketed.

Pinning down the exact number is challenging, as physicians are not required to report ADD and ADHD diagnoses to a central health agency. In the U.S., the National Institute of Health estimates that ADHD affects 3% to 5% of school-age children, while research at Harvard suggests the number is quite a bit higher,...