An Important Discussion of ADHD on Yahoo Answers

I ran across this discussion regarding ADHD on Yahoo Answers and was encouraged.  To tell you the truth, I have had a lot of children brought to me who were diagnosed with "ADHD", but I have never seen them manifest the symptoms required to meet the diagnostic criteria.  I'm truly starting to question whether the disease even exists. 

I've also seen videos of what appear to me to be children exhibiting normal childlike behavior and watched as a clinician explains how their behavior meets the criteria for ADHD and/or other psychiatric illnesses.  I constantly have children brought to me with a string of diagnoses which I do not see.  I do see the children behaving in ways which are not desirable or even acceptable, but it is in response to the parent(s) or the family dynamic. 

We, as a culture, seem to have a strong need to label our children as mentally ill and medicate them.  This is a disturbing trend.  I'm sure many will disagree with me but I have to say what I see, or don't see.

 

Comments

[felix]

Kellen, your thoughts and findings are very important and I'm excited to know if you will have any success in exposing what seems to be unhealthy practice.

Do you have a means of ensuring that you are heard?

Is there a professional system of disclosure or review?

[Kel]

My daughter was diagnosed with ADHD 2 years ago. However, I believe the true problem is that her father is emotionally/verbally abusing her and she actually has PTSD. She and her brothers are afraid to speak out against him. The courts here do not recognize that form of abuse and so my bid for sole custody of them was denied. How do I help them all cope with this nightmare? They are pre-teen & teens.

[George]

ADHD is described as developmental disorder of self control. So the question is where the children in those videos able to control their behaviors. In other words they may have demonstrated typical childhood behaviors, but one that lack self control.
ADHD experts state that ADHD children are capable of attention in some circumstances. They require abnormal amount of stimulation to concentrate and since clinicians office is a novel and unfamiliar environment they may got needed stimulation and become capable of focus in such enviroment. This would explain why children diagnosed with ADHD didn't display any symptoms in your office.

Here is an interesting article about ADHD from neurologist and skeptic Steven Novella

http://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/adhd-revisited/

And here are some other articles:

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/184/1/8.full?sid=f745b32d-9f24-40a6-affc-e649cdf481ef

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2637252/?tool=pmcentrez

[Kellen]

Hi Felix,

This blog seems to be my best mouthpiece. There are professional journals, but I have not worked it out clearly in my mind what the problem is, so I hesitate and ponder it here.

[Kellen]

Hi Kel,

I believe that PTSD is the most under diagnosed mental health problem we have. I seen it diagnosed as; generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, major depression and yes, ADHD (just as in your daughter's case).

In the case of ADHD, the hypervigilance, hyperarousal and anxiety symptoms are seen as symptoms of ADHD and the patient is medicated with a stimulant. Though this helps them think more clearly, it obviously does not help calm the traumatic reaction.

I hope you get counseling for your children and yourself. Though medications can help minimize, or sedate, the symptoms of PTSD so one can function, only counseling can actual "treat" trauma.

I wish you and your children all the best.

[Kellen]

Hi George,

What great articles. Thank you so much for sharing.

I understand what you are saying, but I've met with children in stark environments who were still able to calm and focus and stay on task. I've also worked with them in a ranch setting with lots of distractions and they are still able to calm and stay on task.

What I do see happening with some children is that when they first arrive they are bouncing off my walls, literally! But after a few sessions they start out this way, then calm after a few minutes and remain focused for the remainder of the session. The longer we work together the shorter the time required to calm. This causes me to believe that they are coming from an environment which is causing the attention deficit. But I haven't quite worked out what is in that environment which is causing the behavior.

I still don't believe I've seen a child who actually had the ADHD with which they were diagnosed. When I talk to the parents I often find the "source" of the behavior. Unfortunately, the parents I've worked with are heavily invested in keeping the child as the "identified patient" and not willing to look at how their own behavior is contributing to the problem. And I don't see this being addressed in the mental health community.

Thank you for your contribution to the debate. I will ponder your points and the articles you posted.

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ADHD Bulletin Board. Discussion board for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD is the current term for the lifelong neurological challenge which previously has been known as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), Hyperactivity, Hyperkinesis, Organic Brain Syndrome, Minimal Brain Dysfunction, and Minimal Brain Damage.

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I constantly have children brought to me with a string of diagnoses which I do not see.

[George]

Here is a guideline:

http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/ADHDFullGuideline.pdf

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