Is ADHD real or is it over diagnosed to control children?

Answer 1

It is real, but often over diagnosed or should I say not diagnosed at all. I a society that thinks, here a pill it will fix everything, things can tend to get out of control.

Answer 2

IT IS REAL.

It is also incorrectly diagnosed by schools, teacher and parents who want children to behave as mini adults.

Research I've heard about on the news has stated that in America ADHD is being diagnosed in 1 in ever 8 boys and 1 in every 10 girls. The odds are totally against that many children being ADHD. Also compared with other industrilized nations, the US is diagnosing children with it at a rate of 100% to 200% more then other industrilized nations.

We need to be careful, to not allow schools, teacher or parents to seek diagnosis of ADHD where it clearly doesn't exist and where the drugs are not needed. I've personally seen in parents who have few rules while the child is under 8, then when they get older, eight and up, and still are doing whatever they want, becuacse they've been allowed to, the parents want the behaviors stopped. The parent rather then seeing it was how they raised them and what they allowed that is the problem. They insist the child must be ADHD.

I think we need as a society to be very careful to watch a child over several months before making this diagnosis, then when it is clear that it does fit, to use as little medication as possible in helping the child.

Answer 3

ADHD is definately overdiagnosed in children. There is a lot of literature on the internet available about this phenomenon and the greater one called the "medication of america" about how america uses more prescription drugs than any other country in the world.

The worst part about it is that misdiagnoses of ADHD can be tragic-- medication interferes with brain chemistry, and if the child does not have ADHD, she can be affected in very bad ways. And because medication for ADHD is so prevalent, some students rely on it like a crutch-- a study drug when they need to learn the material-- without heed to the consequences the medication has on brain chemistry.

All in all, it's pretty scary stuff. I believe that there are indeed some cases of ADHD, but overall, I feel it is drastically overdiagnosed.

Answer 4

Yes. It is very real. My little brother has ADHD and has struggled with it most of his life. He is 26 and cannot drive yet. He was mis-diagnosed with a behavior disorder when he was little. My mother went back to school to enhance her teaching career because of him. She became a behavior/learning disorder teacher. She taught teachers how to handle special students. She always said that she was blessed to have my little brother as her 5th child - because the other 4 of us got her ready for him.

Answer 5

It is real. Oddly enough it is overdiagnosed in boys,but girls (who tend to have inattentive ADHD) are actualy underdiagnosed. A lot of girls aren't diagnosed until they are adults, they learn to adapt and figure out ways to control it. I controled it by drinking a bunch of caffeine everyday.

Answer 6

oh boy... yeah... its real!
when your younger (13 y/o) step brother tries to kill you with a knife, and threatens everyone in the house daily... you will kinda get the impression that that aint normal!
i lived my whole life with my older brother trying to kill me too... both were diagnosed with severe ADHD. if they werent treated and medicated, i probably wouldnt be here telling you this today!