ALMOST one million American children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have been misdiagnosed, scientists revealed today.
In a study of nearly 12,000 children, researchers from Michigan State University found the youngest kindergarten pupils were 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest children in the same grade.
In another study released yesterday, researchers from North Carolina State University examined national health data spanning 10 years and came to a similar conclusion.
Both studies found large discrepancies in diagnosis and treatment rates based on small differences in children's dates of birth - with children born just after kindergarten eligibility cutoff dates more likely to be given the ADHD label. [...]
A despicable person who writes a vicious blog attacking Rabbi Nuchem Rosenberg seems to have hijacked the "Daas Torah" blogger ID for himself and his shady agenda. That is not the name of the blog, just the blogger ID.
ReplyDeleteDoes Google's Blogger allow more than one person to use the same ID?
The fascinating aspect of mental illness, and the difficulty in dealing with it, is asking the question: where does normal behaviour end and abnormal behaviour begin?
ReplyDeleteIn ADHD, the question is phrased: where does being a normal, active child end and an abnormal hyperactive child begin?
To my knowledge, there is no hard and fast answer. When I see a child in my office for an assessment of ADHD, it's usually because the teacher has decided the child has it and has instructed the parents to go to the doctor and get a Ritalin prescription. The overwhelming majority of kids I test turn out not to have ADHD but learning disorders, an unstructured home life, hearing issues, etc. So I'm not surprised to hear about this finding.
What is important to remember is that while overdiagnosing ADHD is not good, missing a diagnosis is worse, condemning the affected individual to a lifetime of failure and disappointment.
Scientific American is also discussing the number of children who are diagnosed vs. where their age lies among their classmates.
ReplyDeleteSee this story, also of today, which says two such studies are being published this month.
I still believe in the "Ritalin Test" (TM) -- if a child responds to ritalin as though it were a strong cup of coffee, they aren't ADD. Ritalin and caffeine are biochemically similar. If your child slows down on ritalin, lower the dose a bit, but the diagnosis would appear to be correct.
I have one son with PDD (a disease beyond ADD, closer to Asperger's and autism, but on the same spectrum) who actually uses Coke to help fall asleep.
-micha
Nice to see this expose.
ReplyDeleteIt's high time the ADD racket/industry is exposed and shot down. In general and esp. among our people
Hopefully more such exposes will be forthcoming.
Thanks.
Garnel, I liked the first part of your comment a lot.
ReplyDeleteI was disappointed by the end however.
"What is important to remember is that while overdiagnosing ADHD is not good, missing a diagnosis is worse, condemning the affected individual to a lifetime of failure and disappointment."
I don't accept that.
1) Diagnosing someone with that phony condition is a lot worse than 'not good'. It is a big problem. It labels them negatively and subjects them to dangerous drugs.
2) "missing a diagnosis is worse, condemning the affected individual to a lifetime of failure and disappointment."
Nope. Maybe it will let them be and develop into one of the great achievers with that 'condition', instead of being just another drugged mediocrity.
Yes, I recently discovered another blogger using "Jersey Girl", on this blog as well.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you don't hate me as much as you think you do??