Why are parents afraid of ADHD?

Question

I would love thoughtful feedback on why it is that parents are afraid of finding out their child might have ADHD. I was horrified when my son was diagnosed with asthma at 6 months old. I had been brought up to think it was "all in your head" and had never had to deal with it before. I tried to "pretend" it wasn't there, but every few months we'd end up back at the DRs office for breathing treatments... until I accepted it, and now... no more problems. My son is a normal healthy boy who is treated for asthma! That is a medical issue and so is ADHD, but people treat the concept of ADHD with such passion...how come?

Answer 1

My 4 years old has ADHD, but it was totally expected it runs very very strong in the family. I always knew he was, but waited till this year to test him. I'm looking forward to treating it and watching him do better in school and in concentration. My parents waited till I was 15... by that time I was years behind in learning, finally caught up by 11th grade. Was the best thing my parents did for me.

Answer 2

I'm not afraid of my daughter having ADHD...I'm afraid of her being diagnosed with it when she has no such thing. I'm young to be a parent so I grew up at the beginning of the ADD/ADHD craze. I've known lots of people who were put on Ritalin, Adderol, etc because their parents just didn't want to deal with them. I've also known cases where the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD was covering up a learning disorder. My best friend in high school was diagnosed ADD/ADHD and therefore no one would help her with anything in classes. But it was obvious to anyone who knew her well that she had a learning disability. She couldn't read above a 4th grade level and she could barely write either. And lord help her if she had to do even the simplest of math problems.Her mother (a nurse) refused to let her take anything other than Honors classes and claimed she just wasn't paying enough attention. But she could sit still for HOURS and practice her Baritone. She barely graduated and will probably work a dead end sales job for the rest of her life. I don't want that for my daughter. Nor do I want her to be misdiagnosed with an illness simply because it's all the rage right now. I do however understand that some people do actually have ADD/ADHD. I had a friend who did. She wouldn't sit still for even a minute, forgot what she was saying mid-sentence, and when off her meds couldn't remember what she'd just done a minute before. She was a true case and in those cases I fully support the diagnosis and medication...because they NEED it. Personally I was tested in 4th grade for ADHD...and got a good doctor who realized anyone who's read the entire Anne of Green Gables series and half the Redwall one by 4th grade probably wasnt ADHD...instead he suggested more advanced classes and that perhaps they skip me a grade. I didn't skip a grade but WAS moved into a more advanced math and reading class and did wonderful and stopped acting out entirely. Not everyone is ADD/ADHD.

Answer 3

In point of fact you will find, with a little research, that ADHD children have far higher IQ ratings than the dumb and obedient little yes people who are content to sit in class all day and be fed boring rubbish by rote and never have an original thought about anything. You might like to start with Richard Brampton as a prominent example of a rather smart ADHD person.

Answer 4

Asthma is diagnosable with a test (at a certain age)--ADHD really isn't. There are symptoms and meds that can treat the symptoms, but you can't ever know for sure if that's what is going on--ADHD vs. a kid who isn't/refuses to be disciplined. And by 'disciplined' I don't necessary mean a child who minds.

My one year old has asthma. He is strong willed and hardheaded, but no one will ever dx him as ADHD b/c he doesn't have it--he's alot like his mama.

When I was growing up, I'm 38 now, I knew ONE KID with ADHD. Today, my 17 year old goes to school with a dozen kids, just in his grade, who have 'it'. I call horse crap. Why the sudden rise in ADHD? Does it have anything to do with the decline of good parenting i.e., not sticking you kid infront of TV all day, not making kids mind and instead letting them do what they want when they so that when they get to school that have absolutly no idea how to follow rules????? Interesting correlation if you ask me.

Answer 5

ADHD is one of those hot button issues with parents and pediatritians. What once was just "an active kid" is now considered an illness. Most parents including myself see this as misdiagnosing alot of the time. A kid that could be worked with gets labelled because our overworked school system has no time. What I believe is the scary part is beig misdiagnosed or over analyzed your kid being labeled and medicated for something that 20 years ago would have been treated much differently.

My brother, the farthest from hyper activity and could read through all of the Tolkien books by age 14 was diagnosed with this. Because he basically got bored in class. He was medicated for a decade. When they medicate kids for ADHD it makes them basically into zombies (if they don't need the meds).

Answer 6

actually ADHD is not medical it is mental and it's an imbalance that is permanent. it can affect the childs learning and their development. some are fine with treatment where others are not. my son was diagnosed with mood disorder (which means more than likely bi polar) it is scary because you have to question every decision you make and worry if you made the right one. also when he gets older i have to worry if he will refuse his medications and then that opens a whole new can of worms. so mental conditions that are controlled by medication is much scarier and much more horrifying. obviously with things such as asthma, even though it's scary, you at least know that your child won't choose to not control it. with the mental disorders there is a chance they will rebel especially during teenage years. and as i said if the ADHD is severe enough even medication can't control it.

Answer 7

there is no scientific study that backs adhd add capd all of that is the test they put those kids threw really dont prove nothing your son is just energetic take him outside to play so he can get tired or look up an herbal alternative and do your own research youll find that theres a huge gray area that they dont want parents to find out and if you can take the test for yourself it really doesnt prove anything

Answer 8

adhd is something that some say your child is crazy but i say it is nothing to worry about

Answer 9

It's overdiagnosed, and carries a stigma. Your kid wont be in "resource" classes because of his asthma.

Answer 10

Because unlike common ADD, ADHD means your kid is nuts, now who wants that?