A new study released Friday found that young children diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, are often prescribed medication too quickly.

The study, led by Stanford Medicine and published in JAMA Network Open, examined the health records of nearly 10,000 preschool-aged children ages 3 to 5 between 2016 and 2023 who were diagnosed with ADHD .

"ADHD is a disorder characterized by difficulty paying attention, or what we call hyperactivity, which is sort of like kids that have a hard time sitting still, they have a lot of energy," explained Jamie Howard, a senior clinical psychologist with the Child Mind Institute, which specializes in treating anxiety and mood disorders in children.

Howard, who was not involved in the study, said that when treating ADHD in

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