Monday, February 22, 2010
We have been exploring the theme of ADHD diagnosis this month on ADHD Central. We began with a heated discussion of Why Some People Do Not Believe in ADHD. You gave your opinion and we listened. Next I followed up with an Interview with Michael Laskoff, a writer for the Huffington P...
I speak as a child care provider with a degree in psychology with biology minor and as an adult with ADHD. I can speak first hand for both the over and under diagnoses of this disorder.
Many children are over diagnosed because we (teachers and parents) sometime have unrealistic expectations as to what a 5 should or can do in the way of sitting still. I have to work with my staff regularly to get them to understand that children development the mental ability to focus for extended periods. This is not necessarily a sign of ADHD unless you want to call all 3 to 6 year old boys ADHD. Many parents and teacher see a child that has problems focusing and immediately look for a way to make that kid "like the other children". This results in children that are not really ADHD getting meds at a young age and then carrying this diagnoses with them the rest of their lives.
I also know that my mother was not diagnosed with ADHD until after she was 50. Adults with ADHD struggle with the shame of not having the ability to control oneself and delay getting diagnosed until their behavior either gets out of control or until they receive help from a trusted doctors or other respected professional.
I am not entirely sure that it is a disorder at all. I believe that part of the problem is that this is just a biological personality predisposition that make one less likely to fit into or cookie cutter/cube office world. I like to think of us as the hunter/warrior model. We are very good at jobs that require quick thinking or action orientated outcomes. We often learn quickly things that we aren't really focusing on and can "lose time" in things we do focus on. We simply don't have the ability to choose that focus or direct it consciously.
That's my two cents. Take it for what it's worth.
I give my two cents and make it four, I think the same way.
You put my thoughts on paper! Maybe same day it will stop being called disorder and just be different kind of people. My son has diagnosed ADHD, but he is best in math,english,italian,likes chess and is really quick thinker. I don t think he is sick or has disability if he is not the same like other kids.He wants and does things differently,and it can be hard to understand it,but it is who he is.
So maybe it will need more research and more understanding for kids(and adults)
like that.
Thats my two kunas(Croatian money),take it for what its worth.