ADHD Breaking News- What Every Parent Should Consider

By: Robert William Locke

Is your child just misbehaving or being unruly ? Child care therapists are beginning to question whether some ADHD cases have been misdiagnosed. Parents and some experts are afraid that the ADHD label is just an all too convenient tag for any problematical child.

In just ten years the prescriptions for the most widely used drug (Ritalin) for ADHD children in the UK has risen from 4,000 to 360,000! This represents an enormous cost to the the National Health Service to the tune of 28 million. But many parents are now questioning whether the term ADHD is a handy label for disobedient and badly behaved children.

Experts disagree and there are two camps. In one camp, we have those who say that the actual number of children diagnosed with ADHD is only a fraction of those really suffering from the problem and that the ratio is 1 in every 20 children. In the second camp, we have those experts who say that many children are misdiagnosed and that the problem is exaggerated.

Diagnosis of ADHD has always been difficult and remains so. A questionnaire is used and its results are anything but objective so the diagnosis can be hit and miss at times. Experts say that there is key distinction to watch out for and that is, if the child only misbehaves in certain situations or in all settings. They do point out that this is a medical condition and may well be present since birth.

ADHD symptoms are divided into two groups:symptoms of inattention and symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity. There is a clear inability to focus. Disorganisation and restlessness are constantly present. The child will not sit still for one second ! Impulsiveness and inability to assess risks may be present. There is difficulty in following instructions and the child will be easily distracted. Problems with peers arise when it come to turn taking at play.

A larger and larger number of parents are single and breadwinners. The family structure has changed and the single parent will find it a challenge in bringing up children. Social reasons too play a role in that the children themselves play outside less and less. They are glued to the TV and computers. This leads to more consumption of snacks which contain additives which may cause hyperactivity.

Doctors have come in for criticism also.There are many cases of a misdiagnosis where the child does NOT have ADHD. The pharmaceutical companies are laughing all the way to the bank as they watch their sales of ADHD medications rocket! Side effects of some of these drugs are worrying. A popular drug, Adderall, was recently taken off the market in Canada because there was evidence of heart problems in children with a predisposed heart condition. Research recently published does stress that therapy rather than drugs is much more effective in the long term.

Whether your child has ADHD or not may be hard to decide in some cases. Whatever the diagnosis, you will need advice on handling children. The site below has been written by a doctor who has two children with ADHD. He shares his expertise in dealing with difficult children.

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