ADHD, Illness or just an excuse?

[ELVIS68]

[ummmm]

The kids then were just considered naughty and basically written off.

[bobjugs12]

How come Leukemia wasn't heard of in 1853 joeluke? Because people didn't know what it was.
How do you know none of the kids you went to school with didn't have it? Were you a medical expert on neurological chemical imbalances whilst at primary school?

[ummmm]

When my kids use to go to their Dads he use to feed my son blue smarties before sending him home. Knowing what it will do to him. Nasty man he is...

[Sqad]

I am not an expert on Neuropsychiatric disorders so my opinion is based on that fact.
The diagnosis of ADHD and the prescribing of Ritalin has doubled over the past 15yrs and this does need some sort of explanation.

In fact, the essential first step in all diagnosis, even in the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, is to make the fundamental “Is it a disease or isn’t it?

The absence of organic disease, over time, stands as the strongest evidence that a patient’s symptoms are psychogenic.

So, what is the medical evidence of an abnormality?

MRI scans have been taken of the brain along with biochemical studies and neurophysiological investigations.

Jake-the peg gave an excellent link to a study which, in my opinion, highlighted all the dangers and misinterpretations of medical studies. Firstly, the study was biased, as the group investigated had already been "labelled" as suffering from ADHD purely on clinical grounds without evidence of any abnormality.
Secondly, there was a Dopamine imbalance in a certain percentage in the trial, but it is wrong to assume, that this imbalance has anything to do with the symptoms and evidence for ADHD.
Also there has been demonstrated that other brain abnormalities are seen on MRI scanning, but there is nothing to counteract the claim that these are indeed due to Ritalin.

For me.....the jury is still out........I am not convinced of the existence of ADHD.

[cherrychapstick]

bob i haven't said it is not real i said alot of parents use it as a cop out because they can't control their children,i know it is not everyone but like was said earlier we never heard of such things when we were kids now every 3rd or 4th kid has it :s

[brenda]

bobjugs-----am entitled to have a view on a topic. Brenda.

[ummmm]

Just a pity that it's an insulting opinion...

[jackthehat]

If I think back to my schooldays, I can quite easily identify several of my schoolmates who were the exasperation of the rest of their peers; badly behaved, hyperactive and general nuisances..........they came from a variety of backgrounds.

So, they either had ADHD and were undiagnosed or just badly behaved, OR they were *just* badly behaved. Naturally, they carried the label 'badly behaved'.

Fast forwards 30 years and now there is a diagnosis for children with similar behaviour...............and it seems to absolve many parents from their mistakes in child-rearing.

[bobjugs12]

There is a tendancy to ovediagnose children. For example a quiet child is labelled as autistic, a child who just isn't very good at spelling is labelled dyslexic, and a child who has been brought up in a poorly disciplined enviroment is labelled as having ADHD. All this does is detract from the children who actually do suffer these disorders.

Sqad, I obviously have no where near your levels of expertise, but I do believe there is a lot more to learn about the human body than we already know, and although unconvinced you have kept an open mind to the possibility.

Brenda. You are entitled to an opinion, but when you labelled me apathetic then you crossed a line. Who the hell do you think you are to insult me, or question my methods of raising three children, one with special needs?

[bobjugs12]

Brenda, are you going to apologise for your comments regarding me and my ability to raise my children?

[trt]

cherrychapstick,

Your right there, it seems there's a epidemic of ADHD in the UK, every parent whose kid misbehave blame it on this nowdays.

[rowanwitch]

Bobjugs, from many of your previous posts it's obvious you are a committed and caring father....your kids are very lucky.
I shared an office with my friend through the whole period from the first suspicions of a problem to her sons diagnosis and through the battle to get him support in school and all the other issues She is happy to offer support/advice to any parent going through this, if you would like to contact her I could provide details if the ed will let me... or there is an alternative place I could send them.

[cazzz1975]

until someone has dealt with one of these conditions closely its the usual round of scepticism from the majority of people who would just like to put it down to bad parenting. the same type of ignorance is normally levelled at children with autism as well.

[bobjugs12]

Rowan, thanks for the offer but i'm ok at present. I may take you up on it the future though.
Cazzz, tell me about it. I've had tuts, muttered comments and outright rudeness aimed at me and my son when we've been out. The hardest thing in the world is rising above it an showing your son that "it shouldn't bother you like it doesn't bother me" when realistically you want to tear someone apart either verbally or physically for being so prejudiced.

[brenda]

bobjugs------ I gave a view on a topic , it was not personalised about you.How could it have been, when as an Aber, you are a name on the site as a contributor.If you choose to take my post personally then that is down to you.
If my post made you personally angry, then I am sorry,but you made the personal connection not me.

[cazzz1975]

brenda, your comments are personal to anyone who has children with these difficulties.

[Sqad]

cazz...but not personal to the people who don't have children with this disorder....the vast majority of parents. It is typical of CB to start with a topic and then by magic it becomes personalised.
That is not Brenda's or anyone else's fault.

[cazzz1975]

sqad, regardless of personalisation, it would be nice if people educated themselves about these conditions before coming out with ignorant comments.

[Sqad]

cazz...LOL I am sure that we would get along should we ever meet...;-)