Diagnosis of ADHD Surges in U.S. Kids
Source: Reuters
DEC 8 2015, 5:24 PM ET
More than 10 percent of U.S. children have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), reflecting a surge in recent years particularly among girls and minority groups, a new study finds.
Spikes in diagnoses among girls, Hispanics and older kids may be the result of better screening and monitoring among previously under diagnosed groups, experts say.
Roughly 5.8 million children aged five to 17 years are now diagnosed with ADHD, which is characterized by social and behavioral problems as well as challenges in school, according to the analysis of cases reported by parents from 2003 to 2011.
"THE SHARPER INCREASE AMONG GIRLS WAS A SURPRISE PRIMARILY BECAUSE ADHD IS TYPICALLY DIAGNOSED AMONG BOYS."
Diagnosis rates jumped 43 percent overall during the study period, from 8.4 percent of children in 2003 to 12 percent by 2011.
Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/kids-health/diagnosis-adhd-surges-u-s-kids-n476541
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hobbit709
(41,694 posts)
Warpy
(114,393 posts)so since they didn't fit the male model, they were simply ignored for decades.
Now that the science is catching up and overcoming the misogynistic blindness, girls are finally being counted and that's causing the jump in overall rates.
Squinch
(58,366 posts)work in direct opposition to the way children's brains develop, and they eliminate those things that teach children self-regulation.
When children are 4, 5 and 6, their brains cannot handle close work, fine motor dexterity, extended periods that require attention, extended periods of being physically still. So we put them in pre-schools, kindergartens and first grades that require close work, writing between the lines, extended periods in which they must pay attention to one thing, and extended periods without exercise.
When I went to kindergarten it was devoted to teaching children how to self-regulate. There were games that interspersed sitting with movement (duck duck goose, in and out the windows, etc), there was coloring (large and freeform writing implement practice), there were naps, there was constant play and songs that taught finger dexterity (where is thumbkin). All of these are what 5 year olds should do.
We know this. There is extensive study of children's brain development and what should be introduced at what stages. The current curriculum works exactly against what they need.
Meanwhile, Finland respects brain development, and they are first in the world in education, and I bet they are last in ADHD.
It's all part of the plan to make schools suck so we all agree to privatize them. I know I sound paranoid in that, but I'm not.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)My son used to complain about having to sit at his desk all day and was not allowed to move.
Squinch
(58,366 posts)things that their brains aren't ready for, we are really telling them that they are incapable of doing what we want them to do. We tell them they are failing when they are just being developmentally appropriate.
It's actually abusive and cruel.
Rosa Luxemburg
(28,627 posts)Our kids are expected to sit at their desks from 7:45 am to 2: 45 am with a 25 minute break for lunch. No recess and no gym!
When I was at school we started at 9 am, we had 20 minutes for morning and afternoon recess and an hour for lunch. We finished at 4 pm.
kimbutgar
(26,823 posts)Academics but their brains are not ready.
For my special needs I try to use Montessori. All kids need to explore learning not as a chore but adventure and fun.
JudyM
(29,570 posts)
Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)Add to that somewhat lazy and self absorbed parents, a poor diet loaded with refined sugars, amd low and behold, ADHD!
Lodestar
(2,388 posts)and the amount of information the mind sorts through daily.
If you think about how quickly technology has changed too,
it's overwhelming and makes sense to me that there is a
disconnect between our human processing abilities and that of
technology. Dissonance of the mind.
Response to Drahthaardogs (Reply #11)
Lodestar This message was self-deleted by its author.
Lodestar
(2,388 posts)A Nation of Kids with Gadgets and ADHD
Is technology to blame for the rise of behavioral disorders?
http://techland.time.com/2013/07/08/a-nation-of-kids-with-gadgets-and-adhd/
Blackjackdavey
(260 posts)As someone on the front lines -- and trying to hold the line -- I can tell you that this is definitely the result of schools who struggle to provide individualized behavioral management plans for kids coming from households where there are no structural expectations until the day they enter school. As suggested below, doctors don't work for "big pharma," nor are diagnoses given by psychiatrists in order to fit a medication -- in fact, that's ridiculous. What is happening however, is that schools pressure low skill/low motivation parents who then pressure pediatricians and psychiatrists to do "something." The only truly effective something is family therapy designed to develop behavioral modification plans at home that are consistently followed at school which requires work and cooperation from parents and educators -- which very, very rarely occurs consistently enough to make a difference. Therefore, medication is seen as a panacea, a quick and easy fix, that essentially let's the adults off the hook. Pediatricians are probably the most guilty of driving this increase because psychiatrists are usually linked with other service providers and have the luxury of taking more time and deflecting pressure from outside influences. I can tell you that true ADHD is actually very rare and you know it when you see it -- these kids are truly unable to muster any control over their bodies and impulses, in any environment, at any time. Most diagnosed kids are simply a nuisance to educators because they aren't prepared to follow the unrealistic linear and regimented expectations that we place on these young children who haven't learned those skills at home.
shrike
(3,817 posts)In some ways, this is nothing new. As I experienced as a child -- I was literally told "we have other children" --some parents don't want to make the adjustments for a child with "different" needs.
Zing Zing Zingbah
(6,496 posts)If there is something different about your child and they don't conform well to elementary school right of the bat, there is tremendous pressure to get a diagnosis. We got our son diagnosed just so he could get an IEP and stop getting in trouble at school every day. That's how they pressure you into it. Your child will get in trouble every day and will grow to hate school if you don't get them diagnosed. Initially, we tried some of the meds, but they gave him tics. They didn't provide the results they were supposed to. I regret ever trying the drugs, but we were pressured into it again by the schools and the doctors. My son had an ADHD diagnoses, but I'm not entirely sure there is really anything medically wrong with him. He is in middle school now and much more calm and mature. I think a lot of it is developmental and many kids will grow out of it.
restorefreedom
(12,655 posts)
Z_California
(650 posts)ADHD is one of the many great things to happen to pharmaceutical companies. That and "erectile dysfunction" which apparently affects a large swath of the male population based on sales of boner pills.
The future holds many many new disorders for which we will need to buy more pills. It's all a part of the worlds greatest healthcare system! 
Waitsman
(38 posts)Of course it's about money. ADHD is known now to be a genetic trait and not changing over periods of a few hundred years. Who makes these diagnosis, Uninformed and crooked Doctors working for big pharma.
Elmer S. E. Dump
(5,751 posts)
ck4829
(37,426 posts)Kids who don't want to sit still and fill in the bubbles? What do you know, they must have ADHD.
MosheFeingold
(3,051 posts)As did a number of boys I went to school with.
The nun (yes, I went to a Catholic school, irony abounds) would see were getting restless and then make us do wind sprints up the stairs -- and let us ride the bannister down --- for about 15 minutes in the AM and also about 2:00 or so.
If you were last up on the last run, you had to do it again. 8 or 9 stories, if I recall.
Boys (and some girls) need to move around. It's a fact of nature.
Waitsman
(38 posts)ADHD is the result of having hunter-gatherer genes, rather than those most common now from agricultural groups, whose success was dependent on their ability to stay in one place and do menial labor for generations. The hunter was on high alert at all times by necessity. I am ADHD, and part Choctaw Indian. When tested by my school when I was in the 3rd grade, the tests showed I should be doing 8th grade work. In collage I had a 4.0 grade average. The pills are to dumb one down to the level of education aimed at the slowest of learners, and further profits for drug companies. We use the ROTE system of education here, a method Einstein wrote against for many years.
bananas
(27,509 posts)With germline editing, those genes can be edited out permanently, so none of your descendents will ever have ADHD.
The new science of eugenics!
Yep. The last thing world leaders want is people with brains that run at full throttle all the time. They might just start reading books...oh dear!
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)oldandhappy
(6,719 posts)focusing on development and need for physical education. Thank you. This ADHD thing worries me. The quick response to drug kids is not appropriate. Have known several kids whose parents did fight back. Kids are grown up now and wonderful!