February 12, 2023February 17, 2023 Is ADHD common in gamers? Is ADHD common in gamers? There’s no evidence that playing video games causes ADHD, but kids who game more often are more likely to develop symptoms later. However, if your child doesn’t have a diagnosis of ADHD, frequent gaming combined with other worrisome signs is a reason to ask for an evaluation. Does ADHD cause gaming addiction? Background: Up to 23% of people who play video games report symptoms of addiction. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at increased risk for video game addiction, especially when playing games with more reinforcing properties. Who is more likely to have ADHD? Males are almost three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than females. During their lifetimes, 12.9 percent of men will be diagnosed with the attention disorder. Just 4.9 percent of women will be diagnosed. The average age of ADHD diagnosis is 7 years old. Is Minecraft good for ADHD? Key Points: Minecraft can be used as a learning tool for kids with ADHD, but playing the game too often can prevent children from developing other interests. There are strategies parents can use to get the most out of Minecraft, set limits on playing time, and encourage more diverse activities. Is ADHD more common in one ethnicity? Non-Hispanic black children (16.9%) were more likely than non-Hispanic white (14.7%) or Hispanic (11.9%) children to be diagnosed with either condition (Figure 1). Non-Hispanic white children were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD or a learning disability than Hispanic children. Is there a link between video games and ADHD? There are links between ADHD and video games; or rather, ADHD and the love of video games. Don’t panic, though. The consensus is that video games do not cause ADHD. Rather, the ADHD is what leads to the gaming. 1 This doesn’t mean everyone who plays has ADHD. It means that people with the disorder spend a lot more time and energy doing it. Are there any professional athletes that have ADHD? A surprising number of professional athletes have attention deficit disorder (ADHD). In fact, an estimated eight to ten percent of all pro athletes have the condition, as compared to four to five percent of the general population of adults. Many experts say a connection between ADHD and athletics makes sense. Who are more likely to have ADHD symptoms? In July, a California team reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that teens who are heavy users of digital devices are twice as likely as infrequent users to show ADHD symptoms in the future. How old do you have to be to have internet gaming disorder? In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics cites research that up to 8.5 percent of U.S. youth, ages 8 to 18, meet criteria for internet gaming disorder (IGD), which includes symptoms like the ones Charlie noticed Ryder had begun to exhibit. Psychiatrist Dr. Perry Renshaw of the University of Utah has been studying heavy gaming for 15 years. Questions