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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A federal study says Utah ranks near the bottom of states for the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among children.
The first comprehensive, national study ranked Utah 48th among states for the disorder, after Colorado and California.
The rankings were developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from a 2003 survey on children's health.
Utah experts including Earl Judd, a Centerville pediatrician who treats the disorder in children, say they doubt it goes under-diagnosed in Utah.
"We've always done a pretty good job at identifying and treating hyperactive kids," said Utah psychiatrist David Tomb.
The children's health survey interviewed families across the country with children ages 4 to 17. Researchers calculated 5.5 percent of Utah children were diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, compared with 7.8 percent of children nationwide.
Alabama, Louisiana and West Virginia exceeded 10 percent in the survey.
Just over half of the estimated 4.4 million children diagnosed with attention deficit disorder were taking such medications as Ritalin, the survey found.
Side effects can include sleep disturbances, reduced appetite and suppressed growth, and the stimulants can be habit-forming.
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Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)