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It's not a made-up excuse for the kid's behavior. It's a way of billing for family therapy for parents who have no idea how to manage their kids and kids who have no idea who's boss. Take it from me; I'm a family therapist. Nobody seriously believes there's a mental disorder that makes you defy authority.
Now, ADHD normally IS a made-up excuse. If you read the DSM definition, hoo boy -- it means there is absolutely, positively nothing wrong with the kid other than the fact that he (usually it's a he) loses his pencil in class and doesn't sit down and shut up during boring history lectures. It's a pseudo-medical excuse to get the kid hooked on an addictive drug that will require monthly visits with an MD to get -- possibly for the rest of the patient's life, if he never pulls his socks up and learns to get organized. If you actually meet one of these kids, you'll find they are normally misdiagnosed cases of anxiety, autism, depression, trauma, or once in a while Fetal Alcohol Effect. Or just victims of the public school system.
Teachers love ADD drugs. So much easier to deal with zombies in the classroom than energetic boys who don't want to sit through boring, pointless lessons. As a teacher I personally knew quite a few teachers - even some semi-good ones - who felt drugs were the answer for just about any kid who didn't robotically obey rules and directions and pass all standardized tests. They then pressure parents to get the kids on medication. It's very hard for parents to stand up to that.
It's not a made-up excuse for the kid's behavior. It's a way of billing for family therapy for parents who have no idea how to manage their kids and kids who have no idea who's boss. Take it from me; I'm a family therapist. Nobody seriously believes there's a mental disorder that makes you defy authority.
Now, ADHD normally IS a made-up excuse. If you read the DSM definition, hoo boy -- it means there is absolutely, positively nothing wrong with the kid other than the fact that he (usually it's a he) loses his pencil in class and doesn't sit down and shut up during boring history lectures. It's a pseudo-medical excuse to get the kid hooked on an addictive drug that will require monthly visits with an MD to get -- possibly for the rest of the patient's life, if he never pulls his socks up and learns to get organized. If you actually meet one of these kids, you'll find they are normally misdiagnosed cases of anxiety, autism, depression, trauma, or once in a while Fetal Alcohol Effect. Or just victims of the public school system.
You have no idea what you are talking about. ADHD can now be detected using brain scans although we are not at the point where we can dx using them.
There are kids who are misdiagnosed, but there are also kids who are missed because basing this on behaviors is difficult. Note that a child must have difficulty in at least two domains to be properly diagnosed. It can't JUST be at school. Nor can it JUST be at home.
I thought my son was ADHD when he was young until I met a child who actually did have ADHD. My son was high energy, but not ADHD. He believes now that he has asperger's syndrome. He was never dxed since he was born in the 70s and doctors had no clue then. His son has classic autism and he sees many of those traits in himself. He is a successful chemical engineer and would not want to change so he has never pursued a dx.
Teachers love ADD drugs. So much easier to deal with zombies in the classroom than energetic boys who don't want to sit through boring, pointless lessons. As a teacher I personally knew quite a few teachers - even some semi-good ones - who felt drugs were the answer for just about any kid who didn't robotically obey rules and directions and pass all standardized tests. They then pressure parents to get the kids on medication. It's very hard for parents to stand up to that.
I know a few kids that take the meds...and not one of them are 'zombies'. In one case..the school doesn't even know he takes the medication.
In another the parents were only going to give the meds during the week....until their daughter asked to take it all the times because she felt so much better and able to actually enjoy fun weekend things rather than just bouncing off the walls, unfocused and getting yelled at.
My parents called that stubbornness. When my teens were growing up, I called it bullheadedness, told them to cut the crap and do what they were told. You folks aren't really falling for this ODD stuff, are you? Do you think kids in developing countries get ODD and refuse to gather firewood, or help hunt for food, and their parents just get them some counseling? This is a silly first-world made-up issue.
My parents called that stubbornness. When my teens were growing up, I called it bullheadedness, told them to cut the crap and do what they were told. You folks aren't really falling for this ODD stuff, are you? Do you think kids in developing countries get ODD and refuse to gather firewood, or help hunt for food, and their parents just get them some counseling? This is a silly first-world made-up issue.
If you think what people are talking about is the same as basic bullheadedness and being stubborn you are the one that has no idea. And yes...kids in other countries get this....in fact many of the cases are coming from adoptions out of Russia and the early Romanian orphanages.
It's not a made-up excuse for the kid's behavior. It's a way of billing for family therapy for parents who have no idea how to manage their kids and kids who have no idea who's boss. Take it from me; I'm a family therapist. Nobody seriously believes there's a mental disorder that makes you defy authority.
Now, ADHD normally IS a made-up excuse. If you read the DSM definition, hoo boy -- it means there is absolutely, positively nothing wrong with the kid other than the fact that he (usually it's a he) loses his pencil in class and doesn't sit down and shut up during boring history lectures. It's a pseudo-medical excuse to get the kid hooked on an addictive drug that will require monthly visits with an MD to get -- possibly for the rest of the patient's life, if he never pulls his socks up and learns to get organized. If you actually meet one of these kids, you'll find they are normally misdiagnosed cases of anxiety, autism, depression, trauma, or once in a while Fetal Alcohol Effect. Or just victims of the public school system.
Take it from me, I'm also a family therapist and do extensive work with adolescents, you're full of ****.
I will never understand how people can not believe in mental disease and disorders. Any other part of the body can be diseased or disordered and no one doubts that. You don't go up to a blind person and say "Bull... just look harder!"
Willful ignorance - which is NOT a recognized disorder but is unfortunately quite common - ticks me off.
Word.
I can't stand the anti-intellectualism that has invaded this country.
It's not a made-up excuse for the kid's behavior. It's a way of billing for family therapy for parents who have no idea how to manage their kids and kids who have no idea who's boss. Take it from me; I'm a family therapist. Nobody seriously believes there's a mental disorder that makes you defy authority.
Now, ADHD normally IS a made-up excuse. If you read the DSM definition, hoo boy -- it means there is absolutely, positively nothing wrong with the kid other than the fact that he (usually it's a he) loses his pencil in class and doesn't sit down and shut up during boring history lectures. It's a pseudo-medical excuse to get the kid hooked on an addictive drug that will require monthly visits with an MD to get -- possibly for the rest of the patient's life, if he never pulls his socks up and learns to get organized. If you actually meet one of these kids, you'll find they are normally misdiagnosed cases of anxiety, autism, depression, trauma, or once in a while Fetal Alcohol Effect. Or just victims of the public school system.
I have a child with ADHD and I have a child without it. There is a difference in the way ADHD children function, think, behave, react from other children.
It is NOT made-up. Nana053 posted brain scans to show that the ADHD brain DOES function differently from the non-ADHD brain.
I DO NOT MEDICATE MY CHILD. But even if I did, so what?!
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