No such thing as naughty anymore?

Question

http://newsbbc.co.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/hyperactivity1.shtml

So what do you think of the article ?
Dr Sami Timimi, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist in Lincolnshire, says there is a real danger that the diagnosis is becoming a dumping ground for simple bad behaviour.
My eldest son was diagnoised with ADHD and believe u me u know when your child has it .... lucky for me he has outgrown the condition, altho i do see glimpses of it now and then... Personally i think it is a label that is overused too often there is a huge difference between a naughty child and a child with ADHD ... some parents don't help either they are too quick to label their child , claim benefits and buy booze and drugs with it ... sorry to be harsh but we all know its true ... I used to sit in my sons classroom with him so he wouldn't be a distraction to the rest of the class and the teacher... It all helps... But what do u all think ?

Sorry just to clarify i am not labeling everyone who claims benefits ... needs must.... i am just stating that i know a lot of people (chavs) who claim money for their kids (ADHD) and spend the money meant for their kids on booze and weed...

Answer 1

My child has ADHD (and on medication), but it is NOT used as an excuse for her 'naughtiness'. She is treated like a normal kid, and we have the same (and we expect her caregivers/teachers to have the same) expectations from her as they do any other child.
She is testing me every day to see what she can/can't get away with. She CHOOSES to not follow the rules, and when she doesn't she has consequences for those choices. Her condition is not used as a crutch. Not by me, and not by her (through example from me). It is imperative that children (with ADHD or not) learn appropriate social behavior - they must learn how to co-exist in the real world. I might agree that some are too quick to label a child with ADD or ADHD, especially parents who do not want to take responsibility for what they have lacked in providing proper guidance. But the condition does exist - I've seen it, I've lived it. I've seen the difference a little pill makes each day & the difference in the quality of life my daughter is able to take part in. Not as a zombie - but as a kid who can actually sit still long enough to get through an activity. As a kid who can slow her thoughts down long enough to actually learn something. As a kid who no longer feels 'stupid' because she just can't focus long enough to learn math.
Perhaps there are parents out there who claim benefits and do not use them appropriately - but that can be said for ALL types of funding. There is always going to be people who want something for nothing, and who put their own wants above the needs of others.
As a good parent, you can choose the right path for your child. We researched every available option (behavior counseling, Love & Logic, etc.), and resisted the idea of medication for years. BUT, because my daughter's diagnosis is actually appropriate - the medication worked wonders. She excels not only in the classroom, but is a wonderful group speaker, a leader in the classroom & has socially been able to adapt to her environment.
I have a pretty good kid - who has her moments when she wants to 'test' me, the boundaries and such. These are all normal things that no matter how good a parent someone is - every kid will do. BUT, I had a pretty good kid BEFORE the mediciation...she was just a pretty good kid that couldn't sit still and couldn't get her thoughts out appropriately. She did not misbehave then any more than she does now.

Answer 2

as a child i was diagnoised as being hyperactive my doctor has since told me it would have been classed as ADHD today. It is a scary condition to have!.. you sometimes feel totally out of control of your own surroundings. I don't like the term naughty children.. most children (primary age) who behave in a naughty way do it because they don't know any better. I see it more of naughty moments which any child can have its a part of growing up. I have 3 children and I lucky none of my children suffer from any of these conditions but i understand what you mean about people claiming benefits fot there children and then wasting the money for themselfs

well done with your son... hes lucky to have such a caring parent who didn't give up!

Answer 3

Yes, I think naughtiness still exists. If parents/caregivers do not give children suitable boundaries to behaviour i.e. explaing to them what is wrong, that child will behave how they like and society in general will clasify that behaviour as naughty. If you don't tell your child off for biting, they will continue to do it and it is a naughty thing.

Children by their very nature are striving for independence and will push the boudaries to find out what is and what isn't allowed. If they continue to do something that isn't allowed when they are at an age where they "should know better" then they are purposefully being naughty.

As you say, your child has ADHD and some children do & they can't really help their actions - they are not really in the "should know better" category because of their condition. labelling a child without this condition as ADHD as an excuse for their behaviour is not appropriate.

Answer 4

i totally agree with this viewpoint, my nephew has been diagnosed with ADHD, aspergers on a low scale,his mother, my sister in law (whom i adore) was at her wits end with him and was going to have him put into foster care for a break, myself and my husband took him in and yes he was suffering but his problem was having no boundaries and being spoilt as an only child, she used to reward his bad behaviour ie, she would buy him a present, like a £40 play station game, to stop him kicking off when they were out i have 5 kids of my own and whilst i am by no means the perfect parent i give my kids boundaries and they are well balanced and rewarded for good behaviour and punished for bad, i started a star chart for him and he loved it and responded to it i also believe in positive reinforcement with kids and used this with him, he also was not used to routine and we gave him that, his behaviour was changed slowly but it did change, he stayed with us for 3 months and went home a different boy, he still has his moments as do all kids but at least she has some new strategies to work with, unfortunatley parenting does not come with a manual and we learn daily how to cope, i do believe that there are kids out there with genuine problems with mental health, my other sister in law works in a school for children with moderate to severe learning and physical disabilities, lets send the parents to schools like this for a week and show them the reality, also send the doctors that all too freely label these kids there maybe they would learn a few things before too easily diagnosing kids that are either just plain naughty or the result of poor parenting.

Answer 5

I agree with you 100%. Children are being diagnosis with these conditions much to easily. It takes a full year of being tested for ADD and ADHA to be diagnosis properly for either or. It takes alot of phyco therapy and mental as well as physical evaluation of the child/person. To much these days parents are taking there child/children to the family doctor for what most often is age appropriate behavior and the family doctor is diagnosing them ADD or ADHD and right away sticking them on mind controlling drugs that make them like zombie's and end up going through there hole child hood like that. It is so sad. I think the problem with parents now a days is that there work schuald is so demanding that they can't handle a little age appropriate "bad" behavior so they take the easy road out and say there child has a problem instead of going back to basics and making room in there busy lives to spend a little quality time with there child/ren so they won't act out for attention. Sorry to sound harsh but it's these kind of parents that make people say that if they don't have time to spend with there child/ren then they shouldn't of become parents to begin with. My Mom who is 55 has coustidy of my three nephews ages 10,8 and 7. She had them all clasifyed as ADHD and has them on meds. all the time and I never see them acting as "normal" children. They are always so zombi like and never seem happy. Now I do belive they have problems but not ADHD. Problems that stem from there parents(my sister and there dad) abusing them and neglecting. But because they were so out of control when my Mom won coustidy of them 6 years ago everyone including the family doctor said oh they must be ADHD. Instead of listing to me when I said why doesn't every one look at the root of the problem the abuse and neglec and counsel them for that rather than just sticking them on these drugs. But it was the easy way out for my mom who wasn't there for me or my 2 sisters growing up I was the mom at age 12 now(32) taking care of my sisters and going to school my self. Why she was able to get cousity of them is still a wounder to me but anyway yes she doesn't and never did have any patience for children and yes she is one of thoses parents who should of never became a parent. So to get back to your question yes people are being to quick to say their child/ren have ADD/ADHA.

Answer 6

i do think that the label is being used too too much. Parents use that instead of taking the time to be parents & disiplining & just being there with & for their kids. & a whop on the bottom does not hurt a thing when it is needed. I would rather be the parent that people say "Wow, did she just get a hold of her kid" instead of "Wow does she NEED to get a hold of her kid."

Answer 7

i agree children are labeled to quickly with adhd ,but just as a point not allparents on benifits buy booze and drugs i am on them and dont spend my money on that stuff

Answer 8

i believe it has become too easy to diagnose a disorder medicate a child to compensate for bad or lazy parenting.

Answer 9

peope get benifits just cause of their child having adhd or add? my mom doenst get anything for me hsving adhd.