How many people ACTUALLY have ADD?

[Nubclear]

Amidst all this "Adult ADD" hype, my son has just got caught in the "ADD trap". Yep, it has been officially "confirmed" that my son has ADD due to the fact that he cannot concentrate in math. Do you know why I think this is? Because, from observing him, he likes abstract and creative subjects. Math is simply boring to him.
Yet he gets diagnosed with ADD? Plus, you've got American culture working against you especially if your male because....Male adolencents (heres a shocker!) dont like sitting down in class rooms seven hours of the day. They like doing physical things. And (!) even young women can be affected! Maybe they get BORED or are thinking of OTHER THINGS? Yet so many children get diagnosed with ADD on rediculous basis such as that.
Personally, I don't think my son has ADD. He's very intelligent in other areas, always gets A's....Lately he's been opening up to me about girls and the normal teenage things....And he has a lot of stress. And it's SUMMER for gods sake....

Anyway, enough of my rant. Just respond to the topic.

[Makeo]

yeah in most cases add is bull****. [oldman] in my day we would just cut down on the red cordial [/oldman]

[st_swithin]

In my day, we called it being a brat or grounds fer a beatin'.

There's no drug therapy like a 2x4 with the word 'Therapy' on it.

[Proteus_MST]

Sounds like the normal thing in the technological Society.

If something (like a kid/pupil) doesn´t work diagnose a cause why it/he doesn´t work correctly and use Methods (like drugs) to fix it.

[Sikander]

..........Oh, sorry. I was a million miles away............

[Maniac]

I'm glad you won't give your son pills simply because he isn't a "model student" in math classes. All those pills can have strange effects sometimes.

[Jac de Molay]

Maybe if they weren't cutting back physical ed. hours , and selling kids sugar and cafeine thru vending machines, there wouldn't be so much ADD.

[PLATO]

I think that the major cause of ADD or ADHD is the lack of discipline at both school and home. Schools try to take an approach with children that simply doesn't work. Kids are naturally full of energy and curiosity. The will be easily distracted as so much comes into their world on a daily basis that they are just learning how to respond to. Educators today just have no idea how to channel this and challenge kids. Half the kids I went to school with would have been diagnoised with ADD or ADHD in today's world. In my time the principle and his paddle were the behavior modification tools. Not to many of these people had to much trouble focusing when their alternative was to get their a$$ busted. Today, kids have no fear of this and are taught that adults cannot "mistreat" them...this gives them no real accountability. With no other way to control kid's natural tendencies, society has turned to drugs to change the natural order of things. A VERY poor choice IMHO.

[DaShi]

Now they've got Adult ADD to drive worker's comp insurance companies out of business. Oh what a time to be alive.

[Jon Miller]

I was diagnosed with it in the 80s (ADD or ADHD don't remember which)

I think I still have it (I have been off ritalin for years though, don't like being dependent on drugs)

but I agree that many people are being diagnosed with it that don't have it

Jon Miller

[Felch]

I was at a meeting Wednesday morning where a fellow was talking about a bill in Congress to shift the diagnosis responsibility away from teachers to parents and doctors. This one guy started (verbally) attacking the speaker, getting all emotional, saying he was diagnosed in 1967 and his four kids had it and that this thing would ruin everybody's lives.

Some people get really worked up over stupid ****.

[Jon Miller]

it should deffinitely be done by doctors

Jon Miller

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
it should deffinitely be done by doctors

Jon Miller

Jon, currently doctors rely almost exclusively on questionaires filled out by parents and teachers. Little actual observation by the doctor is done. These questionaires are , IMO, highly biased toward producing an ADD or ADHD diagnosis. In order to acurrately define what is ADD or ADHD far more observation from a trained doctor is indicated. Many teachers are aware of how to answer the questions to get the diagnosis they desire. It is my opinion that they do this in order to have to exert less effort in the classroom to control or challenge the kids.

[Jon Miller]

brain waves are actually differnt (I beleive), this is what shold be tested

Jon Miller

[PLATO]

Originally posted by Jon Miller
brain waves are actually differnt (I beleive), this is what shold be tested

Jon Miller

There is some evidence to support that different areas of the brain exhibit more activity in ADD and ADHD people. This science is very much in its infancy and no conclusions can be drawn about its overall accuracy. While this is a great new tool to assist doctore, it is not the fundamental test for ADD or ADHD. At this point, nothing can replace observation and reaction to stimuli.