ADHD or just bad parenting?

Question

25 years ago, adhd was unheard of. And yet now, every 4th child is diagnosed with it.

Is it really a mental issue or is it a parental issue?

Seems like a cop out to just claim children are adhd, and thats why they act up.

I understand SOME children have actual chemical imbalances in their brain, but 1 in 4?

All in the last 25 years? seems fishy to me.

Answer 1

parental issue. Think about it - how much sugar do we give kids? How violent are their video games? They all add up.

Answer 2

I could go on and on about this issue, but I think a lot of it was covered in previous answers...
pharmaceutical companies...
bad parenting...
many children misdiagnosed...

From someone who deals with this issue every day, I have to tell you it is a REAL disorder. There were a lot of comments about how it was not diagnosed 25 years ago. But if you look at the history of psychological disorders and treatment, many disorders were not recognized years ago, it's not just ADHD. Take schizophrenia for example, it wasn't treated because it wasn't always recognized. And that person who was , was just considered eccentric or quirky, because it was a social taboo to have a mental disorder, nor was treatment readily available.

We're in a time now when mental disorders are not only recognized, openly spoken about, but treated so easily (sometimes too easily). It's socially acceptable to have a "problem" and the disorder of choice for children right now is ADHD. So yes, MANY children are misdiagnosed, which makes the few that do have the disorder not taken as seriously.

Consider this about misdiagnosis...It's much easier to treat the symptom (the misbehaved child), than it is to treat the cause (poor parenting, bad family situations and an education system that encourages medicated children).
It's unfortunate, but it's true, especially considering the limited mental health resources and options.

Answer 3

Tuesday March 13, 11:44 AM
Parents urged to check ADHD diagnosis
By 7News
Medical experts are urging parents to make sure their children are properly diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) before giving them any medication.
It follows revelations that 30 per cent of children diagnosed with a mental disorder may not actually have one.

Parenting expert Dr Michael Carr-Gregg told Sunrise that giving children unnecessary medication could be dangerous, comparing the drugs to 'speed'.

"There can be significant problems," Dr Carr-Gregg said. "There's new research to say it can cause cardiac problems if wrongly diagnosed."

Dr Carr-Gregg said behavioural problems were often caused by specific events in a child's life.

Research released last week suggested the use of drugs to treat ADHD had more than tripled worldwide since 1993.

The study from the University of California, Berkeley, found that Australia had much heavier use of the drugs than researchers had predicted.

Answer 4

I just recently did a paper on ADHD and here's a part of my research:

The number of diagnosed ADHD cases has rapidly increased in the last 15 years. Another explanation of the increase may be that rather than benefiting from the therapy and medication, the professionals and pharmaceutical companies are benefiting financially from the disorder. Pharmaceutical companies are earning close to half a billion dollars a year; that’s about five hundred percent more than in 1990. In 1999, Time magazine’s cover story discussed the percentage of children walking out of a doctor’s office with a prescription for ADHD versus those who were receiving psychotherapy. The percentages of those who got prescriptions went up twenty percent from 1989 to 1996, and those who got psychotherapy fell fifteen percent (Romm & Romm, 2000).

Answer 5

I agree with you. In countries that are similar to the U.S. (such as Canada, Australia, and England) there are nowhere near the same amount of children diagnosed with ADHD. These children have very similar lifestyles. And ADHD has been on the incline over the last several years in the U.S.

Could it be another way that the U.S. takes the easy way out? By just doping the kids up rather than taking the time to look for other alternatives?

And on top of it, kids are eating tons of sugary foods, and hardly getting any time to burn of the extra energy at school.

Answer 6

By discipline I am not talking about a beating. There is a difference between a beating and a spanking.

Just bad parenting because of the government in a lot of the cases. You are not allowed to discipline your children anymore which makes it really tough on us parent. I'm sorry but time outs just don't work on some children.
ADHD is just a Quick fix on a lot of teachers parts because they don't want to deal with our non-disciplined(not our choice) children. They just would rather have a bunch of zombies in their classrooms and I'm sure some of the parents like it that way too.
When they took discipline away from parenting is the time that all this began to happen. They aren't ADHD. They just have to say "I'll call social services or the police" and the parents give them free roam on whatever their little heart desires.

Answer 7

I believe that ADHD is real; but I also believe that many children with the diagnosis are indeed, misdiagnosed. Many children go from school to day care to home in front of the tv. Overall, parents are less involved in their childrens' lives and this is changing the way that children develop learning skills, develop patience, develop problem-solving, etc. ADHD has become a quick answer for doctors to give. Unfortunately, this quick diagnosis is probably leaving the real issue uncovered and not allowing additional or more appropriate patient care.

Answer 8

Very good question.

I'd have to go with the parents on this one....and I'm also blaming the group of greedy scientists who came up with this mental issue in order to fill their pockets.

Now I know there's laws against beating your children, but nothings wrong with a good old fashion spanking...followed up by a ("Don't you ever get outta line again, cuz there's way more where that came from!!!") scolding

It's harder nowadays for parents to lay down the law because now you got some kids calling the cops on the parents and nosey people getting in your business.

But all in all, I think it's possible for a child to control his/her "ADHD" if there are precautions to their actions.
Think about it...whatever happened to self control and respect?

Ever since smacking your kid became illegal...ADHD has become a new fad.

Parents get out your switches and belts....Doctors stop being so f*!#ing greedy.

peace

Answer 9

50/50...or a greater percentage of parenting. ADHD is (from what I've learned) a problem paying attention mixed with being hyper active. Not an easy combination to confront. At 33 years old...my attention span is drifty, and I'm a bit more tightly wound than the average 33 yr old....but I see kids all the time who are "diagnosed" with this affliction..who merely need a bit of discipline to help them focus. Not physical discipline....just discipline...plain and simple. Drugging them is a cop out....SOMETIMES. Children born to addicts often have difficulties and chemical imbalances that aren't detected until they reach their teens. It's a subject that will definitely spark controversy. Have fun....What were we talking about?

Answer 10

Perhaps it is our way of looking at the attention problem that is causing it to be such a giant money maker. If you think about it, a child or even adult with such a short span of attention is by no means less capable of doing anything. Infact in this instant satisfaction society a child could be stimulated with a multitude of challenging thought provoking activities and actually end up accelling in school, by encouraging the naturual tendencies of the disorder. It's all about understanding the method to the madness, and when the method fails all you see is the madness. Just some things to think about.

Answer 11

Well my boyfriend has ADHD, and he has some mental problems.

But he is VERY SPOILED. Things get blamed on the ADHD that shouldn't be. Like, he's on his 9th car, and he's 22 years old. He wrecks a car, then mommy and daddy buy him a new one. he doesnt pay for any of his bills, and he has no idea how to live on his own. We live in his grandpa's house (Grandpa doesnt live there), but I basically keep that house going. He just spends money and is loud lol.

I get tired of it blamed on the ADHD, because some of the problems are because of it, but he just thinks if something is wrong, then that's it. I'm tired of it, lol.

And he has had some bad bad bad parenting, because at about age 14.... they gave up. they just handed him money, and let him do WHATEVER. It bugs me. I would never ever imagine doing that. man, some parents just aren't all there in the head.