Are ADD/ADHD diseases or excuses for bad parenting?

Question

Sorry, let me be more precise. Is ADD/ADHD a brain disorder or is the child not paying attention due to lack of disipline?

What kind of treatment Kari?

No, I am not a parent and I am not being rude lovinmama. I am writing a paper and I asked a legitimate question. As for my opinion I think a kid doesn't listen because they weren't properly taught to do so. Yes some disorders cause lack of attention but I believe that ADD and ADHD are for the most part made up diseases and with proper disipline a child will pay more attention. I have a cousin that supposedly has ADD and I truly believe it is his parents fault because they never made him listen to a word they said.

Answer 1

I have to go with lack of discipline. I have a younger sister who was doped up on ritalin by psychs who said she was ADD. I got custody of her for awhile, took her off the meds and just beat her butt a few times when she acted up and then never had another behavior problem with her.

Oh by the way, did you know schools get extra funding for a kid being labeled ADD/ADHD? It's all a money game.

Answer 2

You question is complicated. There are children and adults for that matter, with legitimate problems that require medication. However, I do think that for every legitimate case, there are several cases where a kid got put on medication to control behavior that could be remedied by disipline and order in their lives. In the last 10 years or so prescriptions for these type of medications has skyrocketed. As mentioned in another post, they are advertised on television all the time. Contrary to that same post, this does not mean they are helpful or that they are for everyone. Lots of medications get advertised, only to be recalled later for the severe health issues they cause. It is this public advertising that leads people to beleive that a pill can solve the problem they are having. We have a nephew that is widely out of control and had been on the meds for years with no real benefits or correction to his behavior. He has parents that didn't disipline him as a child, allowed him to do what ever he wanted and later, when they found they couldn't contol him, a doctor put him on meds. Now he is a teenager that we won't allow to be around they younger kids in the family. Most of the other parents that I am around disipline their children and are fairly strict about the rules and the consequnces of breaking them. The ones that are lax about disipline, are the ones that have children that misbehave more frequently and in worse ways. It is always a good idea to have a child checked by a doctor if you suspect any kind of problem, but I don't think that putting them on drugs is automatically the best answer.

Answer 3

ADD/ADHD is a real "disease," scientifically proven, and a nightmare to live with. Mine made my parents' lives hell, not the other way around, because it was unknown in my day. Check out the ADD web site, and you'll see that it's directed toward coping, not making excuses for the behavior, and the latest physical research findings. The behavioral problems come from physical causes. They are not learned.

That said, there are parents who are much too quick to medicate a child without having all the proper testing done. Kids ARE supposed to be active and intelligent and ask questions and lose things and drive parents crazy. Some parents can't handle that (I believe we should spay and neuter some people, but that's another forum :-) ), and medicate their kids, rather than deal with them.

But with a true ADD/ADHD child or person, sometimes appropriate medication is the only way the child or person can exist without being a total basket case 24/7.

Answer 4

I personally think their is a huge difference between add , adhd, being hyper and just plain lack of a parent to discipline their child. Rather it be a spanking , a time out, grounding, or whatever fits the child. Yes I am one of those who believes every child is different and has to have the punishment fit the child ,as well as the crime. (yes I think all the books that say a time out works for every crime and every child are just plain crazyiness) I think for the most part parents are just lazy and it is easier to dope the child then to actually be a parent. That isn't to say their isn't real cases. I have a friend who has a child with a real case and she fights a up hill battle with it but I don't believe most are true cases , I believe most cases are a matter of plain laziness. I was also with a girl who was Bi-polar. She was a true Bi-polar . Some days were a real mess with her but her good days more then made up for her bad days. She just didn't like the way the meds made her feel and would quit taking them , which finally destroyed our relationship. I have also seen the fools who use it for a excuse , which after living with one , I can spot a faker a mile away. What is even worse is the doctor who just give these drugs away like they are candy and the ones who think they know everything and how to handle every thing cause they read a book and went to college. Yes you know the ones . The ones who think they know more about how a child feels who was molested, then even the child herself or another person who was molested. WHY ? cause he read a book that told him how they feel and he went to college. These are the doctors who give out the pills to anyone who walks in and states that the child cant focus in school. Instead of telling them to go home and sit down everyday with your child and do school work and tell him to focus. It is a training thing for some kids. I do it with my son and I can say he has improved 100%. So it is lazy parents and doctors who have read to many books. More times then not , the old fashion way works much , much better and often requires less drugs. Yes I believe some are real cases, but I believe most are parents whom are lazy and/or lack displine and so do their children so they turn to a doctor whom to freely passes out drugs like they are candy. I am a single father, who also works many hours a day. My son would not think of actting as many children do cause he knows their would be a punishment

Answer 5

They are valid disorders, but they are often misdiagnosed and/or over-medicated. Some other learning disabilities are often mistaken for ADD/ADHD. Many doctors will see a few symptoms and go straight to that diagnosis and prescribe 3 meds and a tutor. Many kids do just have a discipline problem, but some actually do need help. My sister has a disability that has been mistaken for just about every LD ever. And I know its not a discipline problem because our parents do NOT mess around.

Answer 6

ADD and ADHD have nothing to do with parenting. They are actual disorders that respond well to treatment. The best of parents even have kids with ADD or ADHD.

It is a chemical inbalance that creates attention problems. It also creates behavior problems. A child or adult that cannot stay focused becomes bored quickly.

Ritalin, Concerta, amphetamine salts. Most of the medications are highly addictive. Studies have shown that many meth users are ADD or ADHD. This group of people have gone undiagnosed in early life and have tried to self medicate by using drugs. The mind of someone with this condition is constantly racing which can cause inappropriate behaviors.

Answer 7

ADD and ADHD are real disorders, but they are FAR less common than what is diagnosed today. Next to bipolar disorder, it is THE most commonly misdiagnosed emotional disorder in existence. People are way too eager to believe that there is a medical excuse for the behavior of their children.

Answer 8

It is a real disorder. My brother had it as a young boy. I was the older sibling and I received the same treatment from my mother he did and yet he obviously would act out from the ADHD. Medication can really change it.

Answer 9

ADD/ADHD are brain disorders...go to www.nami.org, and you will find a ton of info on these diagnoses. And just for the record, two things: (1) diseases/brain disorders are "no fault" illnesses yet treatable and managable; (2) parenting, or the lack thereof, has nothing...nada...to do with ADD nor ADHD. Hope that helps abit.

Answer 10

More likely an excuse for drug companies to make that much more money. They peddle the drugs and in the same breath we say to our children, "say 'no' to drugs" while drugging them. It is scary how many children are "diagnosed" with what is supposed to be a very rare disorder. There is a list of about 20 things that are supposed to be ruled out before this diagnosis is made. It is supposed to be a last resort diagnosis.
I think there are many parents who don't want to deal with their kids. In our culture they are too busy. Children also do not play outside like we used to and as a result are stuck inside watching t.v., playing video games or with toys that do everything for them (all lights and sounds). There is no time for making up their own games or using their imagination. With life and everything they are involved in moving so quickly, we wonder why many kids have attention problems?