ADD/ADHD Children

Does anyone else think that children are over diagnosed with ADD or ADHD? A lot of the symptoms that are associated with this actual mental disorder are present in chilren naturally. Where do we draw the line? I was on adderall as a kid and I would NEVER allow my child to take it. I just think it is much to strong and addicting of a drug for a child to be taking. Any other thoughts?? I am not trying to offend anyone who has children on the medication, this is JUST an opinion.

addmomof1,

I would rather have my kids on Adderal and have them able to participate in school, pay attention and learn and feel like they are part of the class, than not have them on meds, not learn and be left behind, feel less than successful, and be emotionally left out.

Our opinions are different.

Most medicines are not strong/addicting to those who need that medicine and take it as prescribed. Yes, I think there are more children and teens prescribed medicines than those who need them and know that prescribed medicines are abused.

I believe ADD is a popular thing now and it is overdiagnosed.

adderal was only given license to be an ADD drug in 1996. so it hasn't been around that long. second, SOME hyperactivity is normal...a LOT is not. The children I have seen put on the drug not only had problems in school, it carried over to home as well, and parents were unable to control them. Now these children are well attended at school, sitting for what can be several hours at a time, and still not fidget and still learn what they are supposed to learn. They come home, do their homework, and do not create more havoc in the home. They become pliable in the teacher's hands, and become good students, and responsible adults. You cannot equate a few children who just always are getting into trouble and say they have ADD. They have to be tested, talked about between teachers and parents, and then it is up to the parents to either put their children on Ritalin, Adderal, Concerta or Strattera, or find an alternative way of addressing ADD concerns, such as naturopathic remedies that have been proven to help. Yes, the diagnosis is being more readily given, but that is only because more parents AND teachers are seeing it more. If my daughter was not on Ritalin, she would not be functioning in 8th grade at a B level. She would be down in the Ds and Es. If you ask me, and you may, it isn't even that the squeaky wheel that gets the grease because there are so many squeaky wheels today. And where would parents be if there had not been the diagnosis of Aspberger's on the Autism spectrum? There would be a whole lot of children who would be put into institutions or in sheltered workshops because they were not properly diagnosed. Those children are learning to overcome vast difficulties because parents, teachers and physicians gathering together to figure out what was going on inside so they could best help each child unlock their inner mind and give to those around them. So before we start bashing those families who have found new hope by putting their child on Ritalin, Adderal, Concerta or Strattera, and helping other families who do not stand such a good chance of getting their children tested, and have them suddenly find a new student in the making. Some of these children outgrow the need for medicine, but there are plenty of adults on the medicines to say that it is just being overused these days. And the reason there is more than one ADD/ADHD drug is that no drug works on EVERY person. And sometimes there is the need to use two at the same time to address different areas of the brain. So let's just suffice it to say that yes, there are more children on ADD/ADHD meds, and leave it at that. The storm can be overwhelming if you don't know the specifics of the process it takes to even put a child on the drug in the first place.

Jewels

My 14-year-old has been on ADHD meds since he was 7. Mostly adderall xr. Currently vyvanse. Without medication, my son is unable to focus, he paces like a caged animal, and is very easily frustrated because he just in unable to follow through. He has never been a behavior problem. That is not why he is on medication. On medication, he has been able to focus, he doesn't feel like he crawling out of his skin. ADHD is not just a school disorder; it is 24/7. Kids who are truly adhd will not become addicted to their medications. It allows them to function. I think you really don't have a clear understanding of these medications.

Read the following information from this link. I didn't copy all of it, so you can access the whole article through this link.

http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_d...&id=13864&cn=3

Addiction Issues with ADHD Medications

Margaret Austin, Ph.D., Natalie Staats Reiss, Ph.D., and Laura Burgdorf, Ph.D. Updated: Nov 5th 2007

One concern that frequently arises around prescribing ADHD medication is that stimulant use will lead to substance abuse. The federal government agrees that stimulants have a high abuse potential and has labeled them accordingly (i.e., classifying them as Schedule II medications). Yet, research examining the behaviors of adults and adolescents with ADHD does not show an increased risk of substance abuse with medication usage. In fact, data suggests that the opposite is true: individuals with ADHD who use stimulant medication to control their symptoms are less likely to become addicts than are individuals with ADHD who are not on medication. In addition, research shows that treating ADHD with stimulant medication appears to reduce the risk of later substance abuse problems by half.
The dramatic positive impact that medication can have on the lives of individuals with ADHD cannot be overstated. Individuals with ADHD who take medication usually experience consistency across their days, something that they may never have experienced before. Most patients learn to manage their medication and have little need to increase the dose once an effective level has been reached. Neither tolerance (medication effects that decrease over time with the same dose) nor withdrawal (physiological or bodily dependence on medication) appears to be an issue for individuals with ADHD. Some adults may actually find that they respond to lower doses of medication and reduce their dosages over time. In addition, stimulant medication may actually provide a protective effect for some individuals with ADHD and decrease the likelihood of needing to use other substances to control their symptoms.

Regardless, I still think its wrong for about 99% of children out there. Whats wrong with coaching our kids through this? Explain to them that there isnt anything wrong with them, that they are just different like everyone else. Life is a struggle no matter what condition you have. Why do all school aged children all have to fit into the same jello mold? EVERYBODY is different and everybody learns different. A child should feel special about they way they were born. There are a lot of good qualities in ADD children. Helping them to understand that their attention span is a little shorter than most and their activity level is higher. There are ways of coping. Let them tire themselves out. And yes, they will deal with addiction later on in life, they will find it hard to start the day. Have you ever asked a child if they would rather not take their pills? I would love to find one child who prefers taking their pills and why. All the children I have seen, my husband included, HATED those pills with a passion. In the lond run I think they will do more harm than good.(to children) All the mothers who disagree, in ten years I would love to hear if you still would have done exactly the same thing.

So you choose to ignore the research on the subject?

I believe in putting children on medication if they are properly diagnosed.

I feel that not putting them on medication simply to avoid "conforming" them is essentially setting them behind from the start. While medications may seem overused, in many cases they are needed or the child will have less room to grow.

A child struggling and falling behind is not what I would consider an "individual" or "unique" style of learning. While many ADD/ADHD children may be able to develop and adjust to their disorder without medication, some may not. A child hating a pill wouldn't be something I'd base it on either -- children hate taking cold medication and the like, but that is clearly something beneficial to them.

My son was recently diagnosed with severe ADHD. I can definitely tell the difference when he is taking his pills and when he doesn't. The best thing is that he actually WANTS to take his medication. He WANTS to please his teacher and do well in school. Off meds, he is unable to learn properly and disrupts class. I used to think ADD/ADHD were overly diagnosed, and didn't want to put my son on any meds cause I thought the teacher was just having a hard time handling him.

There is no way to coach a child through ADD/HD. You can try to tell them to pay attention all you want, it just won't reach them. Even if they want to, they won't be able to.

What you can do is teach him some solid organizational skills. My son is expected to fill out a school planner each day and to get each teacher to sign it so that we know what he has written down is accurate. If he doesn't get it signed, no computer that night. We also worked out a good binder/folder system so he can keep track of his work and notes. It takes a committment to be VERY consistent in checking planners, helping him organize his backpack (his school doesn't use lockers so this is really important). All that still would not be workable without meds for him, but he is learning some basic strategies that he's going to have to use for the rest of his life. ADHD isn't going to go away once he's out of school, so a combination of medication and behavioral techniques is a must.

2 of my 3 "children" have ADHD. They are now 22 and 18 and attend the local university and live at home. We make adjustments to their schedule because of the ADHD, making sure when they sign up for classes that they don't have too many classes/labs etc. in a row without having a break and also making sure that they don't take too many credits in a semester and overload themselves and get overwhelmed.

We also have taught them to begin studying for big exams sooner than other students so that they don't have to try to study for many hours at a time - they can study for a little bit every day.

In spite of these types of adjustments, 1 of the kids is getting some help from the Disability Services office now. I am very glad about this. She was having trouble concentrating during exams. Every movement or sound distracted her. She now can take her exams privately at the Disability office.

We have been diagnosed with the ADHD since my oldest was 6 yr. old. These adjustments above work for us, but may not work for everyone as all kids are different. I explained to my kids that everyone learns and is smart in different ways. Some kids draw very well, some write well, some are good in math, etc. When you have ADHD, you are smart and creative, you just need a little help concentrating.

My kids tried school with and without their meds. They asked for their meds.

Are you posting to find people who agree with what you think about ADHD and treatment or are you genuinely wanting to learn more? Because I don't want to sit here and waste my time composing a post explaining why my son has been on meds for fifteen years if you are going to disregard me. In short we have used alternate techniques besides meds because he has a written language learning disability in addition to ADHD so meds alone are insufficient.

My son was diagnosed when he was 6, he is 12 now. He simply will not cope at school without his medication. I don't believe he is addicted to his medication and I don't believe he was not diagnosed correctly. It is a very sweeping statement to say that ADD / ADHD is over diagnosed. However having said that, I am pretty sure that some kids aren't diagnosed correctly. But for those that are, meds are a lifesaver.

When my son was seven he was diagnosed with ADHD OCD ODD and Failure to Thrive. He was given Ritalin as medication and was on it plus other meds when that one started to fail after a few years until he was fourteen.

Yes it did help to calm him down and helped him with his schooling.

He is now twenty and is in and out of prison as there is no where else to send him. The Judge has said that prison is not the best place for him but .....

I wish I had never given him drugs. He now thinks nothing of taking drugs he is so used to them. He self medicates.

I have taken dope and looking back it had a similar affect on him as me taking dope.

People self-medicate because they are not being properly medicated.

I am aware of this as I do it as well. My thoughts are that if I had taught him how to look after himself in a different way then he would not need medication now. That he would have the life skills to cope.

If this is true or not I will have no way of ever knowing.

New here.
My son got an official diagnosis this week.
But, it's been pretty clear for a while - to us and to others - for some years. He's 7. I'll have the summer to put together a plan with the various medical practitioners. I definitely believe in therapeutic training (for the parents too). The drugs scare me (speed for kids?) but I know they are widely and extensively studied for decades.

A dear friend of my husband's said "Don't put him on the meds, I hated the meds and they made me feel terrible."
A church friend of mine said "Resist when they tell you to put him on meds. I felt terrible on the meds".
Truly passionate pleas, unsolicited.
Since those guys were taking meds in the late 70s and early 80s, I wonder if the formulations and dosages were not refined. Still, it's in my mind.

So, glad to hear from the parents who say their kids are pleased with the results, in addition to the adults being pleased.

I'll be back, but do appreciate the honest posts here.

You have a good point! My son is 18 next month and because my husband didn't support the ADHD theory and transferred some of his opinions to my son, we are now struggling unnecessarily really. My son is very bright but falling behind as a result. Don't delay people...not worth it. There is as a result, a failure to thrive!

I have the same thought blaming myself; my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD when 12 and ODD 13... and now we reached in a big impasse (see slapping when I will be able to write about.. still deleting, still writing) she is ending grade 9 and ...
She was passing everything with good marks but I let everything to check and fill up her holes in knowledge playing games or when she asked .. I answered and answered for hours and days when she was interested about something to know. Her teachers always comment that she is capable of much more if she tried. I would say if she wants or ...maybe if she would have taken the medication.
After trying a few pills she read and asked about ADHD and didn't want to take any pill. She even reached to say that she is not having any ADHD or ODD and ask for another opinion, after one of the best specialist (in ADHD, etc) diagnosed her. It has become so hard for me ... and the results in school are going down as I stopped checking something else than that she is in school and in time and she is not having the same attitude as at home, there.

I wished she would have taken some medicine if that would have helped. But she didn't tried for at least a month.

So please stop blaming yourself!

http://www.klis.com/chandler/pamphle...#_Toc121406159

EVERY child goes through an ODD phase. How do you determine the difference between a phase and a disorder?

"EVERY" child? Hardly.

Not EVERY child goes through what you call an "Odd" phase. Not even HALF of all children go through an odd phase. You ought to know by now that there are those here that are trying to get you to think, not in generalities, but in individuality.