Why ADHD Diagnoses Are Increasing in Moms of Preschoolers

Motherhood is a daily lesson in multi-tasking, challenging even the most organized moms on a constant basis. But managing different schedules and ever-changing needs can be especially tough for people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Now, new research finds a trend in ADHD diagnoses in new moms: The odds they’ll be diagnosed with the mental disorder jumps up by nearly 25% around the time their kids are entering preschool. The findings, which were published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, coincide with a wave of awareness that adults can have ADHD, too—it just may have been missed in childhood. An estimated 15.5 million American adults had an ADHD diagnosis in 2023 and half of them were diagnosed in adulthood, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A recent study of 3 million patient records from Epic Research found that the percentage of adult women who were newly diagnosed with ADHD nearly doubled from 2020 to 2022. It’s important to point out that having ADHD is different from feeling frazzled when you need to remember to pack lunch, snacks, and a water bottle for your little one before school, while somehow getting yourself ready for the day too. Instead, it may mean struggling to get all of these schedules organized, managing your time, and sticking with tasks for you and your family once you start. “I was inspired by anecdotes I had heard from several women with ADHD who described that their difficulties felt like they ‘surfaced’ or became much harder to manage after giving birth,” Kathrine Bang Madsen, PhD, lead study author and associate professor in the Department of Clinical Research at University of Southern Denmark, tells SELF. There are likely a few reasons for this jump in ADHD diagnoses in preschool moms. Here’s what Madsen and other doctors who treat adult ADHD want you to know. ADHD diagnoses in moms occur as kids get busier. For the study, Dr. Madsen and her colleagues analyzed Danish nationwide registers, looking at women who had given birth between 2010 and 2018. Ultimately, they found 363,904 moms who had 524,936 childbirths during the study period. The researchers then looked for records of an ADHD diagnosis or a prescription that was filled for medication used to treat ADHD. The women’s health data was tracked from five years before they gave birth to five years after they had their children. (Women with a previous ADHD diagnosis were excluded.) During pregnancy, the research team discovered that the rate of new ADHD diagnoses dropped about 72% from where it was during the pre-pregnancy period. There also weren’t many diagnoses for the first two years after the women gave birth. But once the children were between two and five years old, the rate of new ADHD diagnoses started to creep up. And, in moms of kids between the ages of four and five, the rate of ADHD diagnoses jumped. Overall, women who were two to five years postpartum had a 24% higher risk of an ADHD diagnosis compared to women in the pre-pregnancy stage. What’s going on here? There are likely a bunch of factors behind this. “We know that girls and women are less likely to be diagnosed in general because the symptoms are under-recognized in them,” Tamar Gur, MD, PhD, director of the Sarah Ross Soter Women’s Health Research Program at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, tells SELF. While some women with undiagnosed ADHD may be able to compensate for their symptoms before having a baby, Dr. Gur points out that motherhood can be incredibly challenging on many fronts. “It stresses your executive functioning and you’re sleep deprived,” she says. “That can really amplify and unmask the core ADHD symptoms.” As kids get older and near preschool, those demands increase, Hillary Ammon, PsyD, a clinical psychologist at the Center for Anxiety and Women’s Emotional Wellness, tells SELF. “Add these responsibilities to your existing responsibilities and it may become challenging to schedule everything, stay organized, or begin and complete tasks,” she says. “Add in unexpected interruptions, and it becomes even more challenging for someone struggling with executive dysfunction.” Those time-management and focusing strategies that may have worked before having kids can be thrown out the window after a little one arrives, Dr. Madsen says. “Some women describe that after giving birth they can’t rely on the coping strategies that previously worked because sleep, time, flexibility, and autonomy are all reduced, so long-standing vulnerabilities become more visible and impairing,” she says. “A practical ‘tell’ is persistent functional impairment across settings—home, work, relationships—not occasional forgetfulness during a stressful month,” Dr. Madsen says. What to do if you suspect you have ADHD If those symptoms sound eerily familiar to you, it’s time to speak up. “Always start with a primary care physician if you don’t already have a psychiatrist,” Dr. Gur says. “They’re really good at quarterbacking and often have a strong referral basis.” Your doctor may do some baseline testing or refer you directly to a specialist who may also want to evaluate you for an anxiety disorder, she says. “A mental health clinician trained in ADHD can better determine what underlying factors may be causing that impairment,” Dr. Ammon says. “Whether it's ADHD, anxiety, mood disorders, or simply a lot of ‘to-dos’ on your plate, they can educate you on skills to aid in organization, completing tasks, and managing disruptions.” There are multiple treatment options available, from specialized therapy to certain medications—and the two work especially well together. So, help is out there once you get a proper diagnosis. Whatever you do, Dr. Gur stresses the importance of seeking help if you feel like you’re struggling. “This just speaks to the fact that we need to do more and better screening of postpartum parents,” she says. Related: Is It Anxiety or Hyperthyroidism? Here's How to Tell the Difference Even More Research Finds That Tylenol Use During Pregnancy Does Not Cause Autism I Got a ‘Mommy Makeover.’ Here's What You Should Know Before Yours Get more of SELF’s great fitness and nutrition reporting delivered right to your inbox (for free!).