Study: ADHD Now Affecting 10% of American Kids

[corgifan]

A real problem or just lazy parents with unruly kids that they'd rather drug than socialize? (I say "A", but there are strong feelings on both sides.)

From the Associated Press
By MIKE STOBBE

ATLANTA— Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. children has ADHD, a sizable increase from a few years earlier that government scientists think might be explained by growing awareness and better screening.

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, makes it hard for kids to pay attention and control impulsive behavior. It's often treated with drugs, behavioral therapy, or both.

In the new government study, about two-thirds of the children who have ADHD are on medication.

The new estimate comes from a survey released Wednesday that found an increase in ADHD of about 22 percent from 2003 to the most recent survey in 2007-08. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention interviewed parents of children ages 4 through 17 in both studies.

In the latest survey, 9.5 percent said a doctor or health care provider had told them their child had ADHD. The earlier study found that fewer than 8 percent of kids had been diagnosed with it.

Researchers calculate about 5.4 million kids have been diagnosed with ADHD, which suggests that about 1 million more children have the disorder than a few years earlier.

Scientists don't have clear answers about why there was such a significant increase. Study
lead author Susanna Visser of the CDC suggests greater awareness and stepped-up screening efforts as part of the explanation.

"Regardless of what's undergirding this, we know more parents are telling us their children have ADHD," Visser said.

[Spartan]

The problem is that there is no objective diagnostic to validate ADHD. That makes psychiatrists/psychologists wealthy, the prescribed drugs enrich the pharmaceutical industry and gives lazy teachers and parents an easy way out of a behavior management problems. A win for everyone except the child.

[corgifan]

The problem is that there is no objective diagnostic to validate ADHD. That makes psychiatrists/psychologists wealthy, the prescribed drugs enrich the pharmaceutical industry and gives lazy teachers and parents an easy way out of a behavior management problems. A win for everyone except the child.

If I interpret your words correctly, prescribing medications that treat ADHD should be ceased until such a time in which an objective diagnostic test is available.

[corgifan]

The problem is that there is no objective diagnostic to validate ADHD. That gives lazy teachers an easy way out of a behavior management problem.

(Pardon the paraphrase. I just wanted to concentrate on the "lazy teacher" part of your post.)

I wish you had an opportunity to deal with a boy I had in 3rd grade summer school a few years ago. His parents medicated him and he was fine, but then his meds ran out and they chose to do the summer experiment to see how he did without them. Even in a class of only four kids, with all the time in the world for me to help him deal with his behaviors, he spent about two thirds of the time slipping under his desk and crawling all over the floor under the desks of his three classmates. When in his chair he spun, slapped the desktop, massaged the desktop, bounced in his chair, and cocooned himself inside his oversized clothing. (Many kids with ADHD can't stand wearing properly fitting clothes, feeling they are too tight. Parents let them come to school in clothes three sized too large, and they love to disappear inside.)

[FieryPrincess]

I was reading a fascinating theory that ties together poor handwriting and ADD/ADHD. It is postulated that by focusing on handwriting, you can draw more connections in the left brain (takes longer for left handed ADD/ADHD kids) and help them to focus more often and for longer periods of time.

I wonder about the decline of handwriting in schools with the rise of ADD/ADHD.

I do not believe in medicating the kids.

My own kiddo is very very ADHD and we work it out with mostly exercise, diet and (lately) working on handwriting. I also use the discipline spelled out in the book "Unravelling the ADD/ADHD Fiasco" were it is renamed "IA/HM" for Inattentive and Highly Misbehaving. It sure would be easier to drug him, but I just don't see the good in drugging a small child with a schedule two addictive drug.

[corgifan]

I'm hoping that your choice to go the non-medication route works out for your child. I respect your choice, and I also respect the choice of parents that choose to follow their doctor's recommendations (drug or no drug.)

[ithoughtso]

If I interpret your words correctly, prescribing medications that treat ADHD should be ceased until such a time in which an objective diagnostic test is available.


If medications for ADHD are ceased until an objective diagnostic test is available, then how will doctors buy that new boat? A healthy population does not increase the financial portfolio of medical professionals. It is in a doctors best financial interest to find something wrong with you.

[corgifan]

If I'm reading you correctly, you're saying that doctors are motivated soley by money. Sorry that you have such little faith in the medical profession. While the salary is a factor, I believe that the vast majority of young people who enter the medical field do so because of a desire to make a difference in people's lives. I'll continue to believe that my physician has my family's health interests at heart and that they collect the salary commensurate with their profession. If that includes a new boat, more power to them.

[Spartan]

If I interpret your words correctly, prescribing medications that treat ADHD should be ceased until such a time in which an objective diagnostic test is available.

Sorry, that would be an incorrect interpretation. IMHO it is wrong to "drug" a child when one does not have any idea of the condition which is being treated. Without an objective means of diagnosis the medical "profession" goes on best guess... often because of pressure from parents to "do something."

We keep hearing stories about how the child acts when he/she is "off his/her meds." If the child were on heroin we would be far more understanding of the behavioral change when he/she is off the heroin. How would the child have reacted if behavior modification techniques rather than drugs had been used in the first place? I guess we'll never know because we will continue to take the easy way and prescribe drugs. Who knows what the long-term effects of these drugs may be? How many Thalidomide episodes are we willing to risk?

Just sayin'.

[ithoughtso]

If I'm reading you correctly, you're saying that doctors are motivated soley by money. Sorry that you have such little faith in the medical profession. While the salary is a factor, I believe that the vast majority of young people who enter the medical field do so because of a desire to make a difference in people's lives. I'll continue to believe that my physician has my family's health interests at heart and that they collect the salary commensurate with their profession. If that includes a new boat, more power to them.

Sorry, But IMOA no profession is a candidate for mother theresahood.

[corgifan]

There are dozens, probably hundreds, of behavioral conditions that have no objective test that absolutely identifies them. That's when mental health professionals are relied upon to make a judgement call using the DSM IV as a reference and guide. It's the best we have at this time. I've probably taught over 200 kids over the years that deal with ADHD or ADD. A few of the ones that relied on behavior modification strategies managed to cope and get buy. Most were unable to learn as easily or as much as children without ADHD. Not even close. Children who were medicated were usually undiscernible from those that didn't have ADHD, or at the worst were slightly inattentive.

[Night Owl]

Where were all these mentally impaired kids when I was in school? What happened in the last 40 years? The only thing I can think of is the $$$$ that are available in the medical profession.

[corgifan]

Sorry, But IMOA no profession is a candidate for mother theresahood.

Who said anything about sainthood? A job is a job. You choose to be a cynic, I choose to have faith in my health professionals.

[FieryPrincess]

I have seen a myraid number of health professionals in the last five years. I have found little reason to have faith in all but one of them. If they were pilots, planes would crash daily.

I don't understand why the first instinct is to drug a child. When my PRE-K kid was a little wild in school, that was the first suggestion out of the AP's mouth and she seemed offended when I went off on her about her wanting to drug a four year old.

Why not see if there is a food to which the child reacts badly? Why not see if more exercise in his/hjer life helps?

[THEMEANOGRE]

It has been shown that fresh foods help MANY with ADD/ADHD. The sugars, preservatives and stabilizers are at the root of the problem. Also, more exercise would hurt few of those suffering from the condition.

NO, there weren't as many then because mothers generally had the time and training to prepare decent meals. The unfortunate reality for too many is that mother is the only parent at home and since she is the sole bread winner, she is not able to cook a meal because she is at her second job.

[Scarlett]

And God knows the man can't cook?
I want really badly to find something I agree with you on, but you sure make it difficult. Even if you start off with a good point, you screw it up. Yes, diet is a HUGE part of the problem..if you had stopped there when you were talking about the sugars, preservatives and stabilizers, I would have absolutely agreed. But no, ya had to go and make it seem like the woman is to blame because she no longer cooks decent meals because she is the sole bread winner and has to have two jobs...As a single mom who is a sole bread winner I can tell ya this...I still cook, quite well, and I don't think you should over generalize such things. It just comes out insulting to a large group of us. Several of us DO still sit down and have dinner with our children.) And believe it or not, that dinner didn't just come prepackaged.


Here is what I think the problems are, in no particular order:
1. Poor diet
2. Video games
3. Lack of discipline
4. Lack of exercise
5. Broken give-a-damns
6. Alien abductions

[Night Owl]

I grew up in a single parent household. After my so-called mother was no longer around my Dad did fine raising my brother and I, and he knew how to cook. And no he didn't have a second job.

And look how I grew up, a nice gentle shy guy.:)

[corgifan]

I have seen a myraid number of health professionals in the last five years. I have found little reason to have faith in all but one of them. If they were pilots, planes would crash daily.

I don't understand why the first instinct is to drug a child. When my PRE-K kid was a little wild in school, that was the first suggestion out of the AP's mouth and she seemed offended when I went off on her about her wanting to drug a four year old.

Why not see if there is a food to which the child reacts badly? Why not see if more exercise in his/hjer life helps?

I'm not saying that alternative methods shouldn't be tried first. If they work, great! But if they fail, how long should a parent wait before trying meds? A year? Two? Through elementary school? Leave the decision to the parents.