Is ADHD just a myth?

[Velvetee]

Does anyone else think ADHD has only come about since smacking was outlawed and discipline has lapsed?

How come we never seemed to have ADHD when I was a child 30 odd yeas ago, or is this because it was undiagnosed at the time? I don't recall the kind of disruption back then, that we have now.

[dabees]

Perhaps they are just different Sleepy, individuals. My 3 boys are completely different, one needs more attention than the others.

He was slower than the others during each stage of childhood, toilet training etc. But given the time and patience he's now settled and doing great. He excels in areas the others don't. They are all special, but none of them are ill. They are just individuals.

[Octavius]

So you think a child with a mild brain disorder is just misbehaving, and a few clips round the ear would sort it out? Do you treat children with ear and sight deficiencies that struggle to learn, the same way?

Your question would appear to be loaded, with the preconceived assumption that it is a myth.

So why bother asking.

[figure]

In my childhood days I and my siblings knew what was expected of us and we rarely misbehaved. My parents taught us manners and how to behave in company. On the rare occasion sitting in a corner by you was not considered punishment then.

[figure]

meant to write 'by yourself'

[JCL53]

Being taught manners and how to behave in company has nothing to do with it .
If you have a child who displays some sort sort of mental disorder and bad behaviour for no reason the first port of call would be a doctor not a book on etiquette or a clip round the lug .

[dabees]

JCL53 I agree with what you are saying, but too many doctors confuse a naughty child with one with a mental illness.

This is happening all to often nowadays, all naughty kids are being diagnosd as ADHD when that isn't the case.

My eldest is blind in one eye and has had a hard time at school but has come through it. He's 16 now and about to move on to higher education.

If his mother and i had given him the soft option of being a victim or a sufferer then he might not of battled through the negative and tried to over come what some saw as disability.

[figure]

Brain development, poor eyesight and deafness are medical complications, not behaviour problems.

At times children misbehave when they�re seeking the love and attention from parents or guardian, caretaker etc. I�d rather support my child with love and attention than give them medication to stifle their minds. To each his own. The choice is yours to medicate your child for some imaginary illness.

[JCL53]

My young nephews are not on any medication ,go to school and are treated as far as possible as normal children .
There are many people in the world who have achieved greatness in spite as being written off as as problem children .
Albert Einstien for one .
http://www.adhdrelief.com/famous.html

[MrXLA]

We have had this debate before, for many of the above answers and some more diplomatic ones do a search for the previous thread

[MrXLA]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Body-and-Soul/Q uestion579257.html

[Velvetee]

For God's sake Octavius, I was asking a simple question, no need to get on your high horse. I'm sick of people here who can't discuss anything without getting spiteful and nasty.

This is a place for asking questions, it's something I've wondered about and it's good to get positive, sensible comments from people who are in the know and have first hand experience. I will be sure to never ask you anything Octavius, you obviously have a short fuse.

[obNOXious]

I think that what velvetee was trying to say ( forgive me if I'm wrong) was that say 20-40 years ago, there was less beahviour amongst children symptomatic of ADHD, which I imagine led her/ him ( sorry I don't know your gender) to wonder whether this condition has become more prevalent for some reason, or if indeed it's merely a change in parenting techniques/ social situaitons that has led to some negative behaviours being tolerated more.

For myself I think ADHD does indeed exist ( my son Ciaran has a different sort of disorder ) but I also think that ADHD has indeed become a 'trendy' disorder that some lacking parents can attribute their children's bad behaviour to, so really I'm saying that in some ways everyone who has posted is right.

[Tups]

I have medical friends who call the phenomenon of badly behaved children 'Orange Syndrome Kids'. Tartrazine is the main culprit. Plus all the nasties in sweets and other snacks. We never had yucky things to eat when we were little. 'Badly behaved' then meant forgetting to say 'please' and 'thank you'. I'm appalled when I visit secondary schools and see cola vending machines in the corridors! What more can I say!