I never meant to imply that ADD/ADHD was fictional or mythical - simply
that it very often diagnosed in non-ADD/ADHD kids.
The diagnosis process isn't very well defined and often subjective and
medication is often issued to mold behavior to adult desires rather than
correct truly disordered behavior. In effect the issue has become a
social one rather than a pathological one.
Medicine is just like any other field - it often features "fads", and
ADD/ADHD is a current one. Child development workers, for a long time,
believed Bruno Bettelheim's [sic, cuz I'm lazy] theory than autism was
caused by neglectful "icebox mothers". Skinner's pure behavioral
modification theories were also very popular for a long time. Even
purely physical diagnoses go through phases - for a long time having
your tonsils out was a very common procedure; not any more.
But there are more fads in child development that in nearly any other
field. Now ADD/ADHD isn't a "fad" in the sense of it being ridiculous,
but rather in the sense that diagnosis of the disorder have sky
rocketed. This is often due to drug companies (who push new drugs to
physicians who in turn tend to find those problems more) and, I think, a
desire for a quick fix.
There's also a lot of "clumping" going on. For example a child who is
susceptible to fluorescent lights may be diagnosed with ADD and placed
on ADD medication, when in fact a behavioral modification (namely
staying away from those lights) is the real answer. Many other problems
are being diagnosed as ADD/ADHD and being treated unnecessarily with
medication.
Again that doesn't mean it doesn't exist - just that it's not nearly as
common as some believe.
Jim Davis
-----Original Message-----
From: Larry C. Lyons [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 11:18 PM
To: CF-Community
Subject: RE: Genetic?
Jim,
If I remember right we've met before, in person that is. If so then I
can say you've met at least one case of ADD. I was diagnosed with it
when I was 15. I was put on ritalin for several years and can say
that if it were not for the drug to help me focus and concentrate, I
would have ended up in prison or worse. While I have mostly outgrown
the physical aspects of it (the extreme hyperactivity and most of the
distractability/impulsiveness, I still do letter and word reversals
when I do not concentrate on my writing, and I still have some
significant problems with figure ground relationships - being able to
disembed a target object figure from the surrounding field.
larry
>The nature vrs nuture debate is age-old and probably won't be settled
>here (wouldn't it be weird if it WERE tho?). ;^)
>
>I've rarely seen "real" cases of ADD - it's perhaps one of the most
>over-diagnosed conditions in history - that's not to say that it's
>fictional, but it has become a refrain for some care providers. I
spent
>more than a while working with kids aged 5-10 (many of whom were
>troubled and many of whome where on drugs for perceived problems).
>
>Is there any time specificity to the events? For example do they
happen
>more in the morning or more in the afternoon? Diet can play an
>important part in behavior (and may exacerbate existing imbalances).
If
>it happens more in the afternoon, for example, you might look at what
>he's eating for lunch (often school lunches, even if brought from home,
>differ significantly from home lunches).
>
>Is there any behavior at home that he may be prevented from doing ay
>school? Does he, maybe, take a nap at home, but not at school? This
>might also cause problems.
>
>One last idea: does he perhaps act out this way in other places - like
>the mall or toy stores? Many children are very susceptible to the
>strobing of fluorescent lights. It's a (very, very mild) form of
>epilepsy that most kids grow out of. But, basically, when they're
under
>fluorescent lights for long periods they tend to head South. If his
>outbursts are more near the end of the day this may be a possible
cause.
>
>
>There are a lot of other reasons to explore. Many are social: some
kids
>go wild around other kids - a so called "feedback loop" of misbehavior.
>Other times it's purely personality - one teacher is met with wild,
>out-of-control behavior, another is treated like the queen mother.
I've
>even heard of some allergies being causal.
>
>I would start by focusing on the possible changes in habit, behavior or
>circumstances first. If he's been doing well before now there seems to
>be no reason to suspect that he's destined for this behavior.
>
>Jim Davis
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Robert Bailey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 3:18 PM
>To: CF-Community
>Subject: Re: Genetic?
>
>We tried the ADD drugs, etc.. all last year. We were under the
>impression he was doing good this year, to our suprise, until today.
>
>He has been on 3 different types of meds for ADD, so I am not thinking
>it is that. I am going to be calling our pediatrician toomorrow
>
>Robert
>
>BethF wrote:
>
>> Is it possible that he has ADD and that school has so much
stimulation
>> he turns into a holy terror?
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Robert Bailey
>> To: CF-Community
>> Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 11:05 AM
>> Subject: RE: Genetic?
>>
>>
>> I am not thinking it is normal. I talked to the princ. today and
she
>> was
>> concerned as she told me he is really acting out and with him being
>> only
>> in 1st grade, he should not have these problems.
>>
>> Robert Bailey
>>
>> Haggerty, Mike wrote:
>>
>> &n bsp; > That depends... is he bullying other kids or just giving
the
>teacher a
>> > hard time?
>> >
>> > My daughter has a teacher who cannot take much, and I have
already
>> been
>> > to talk to her over what I consider normal stuff.
>> >
>> ! ;> M
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: Robert Bailey [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > Sent: Wednesday, September 24, 2003 2:55 PM
>> > To: CF-Community
>> > Subject: Genetic?
>> >
>> >
>> > Let me direct this to anyone that knows anything about genetics
>> > or has
>> > kids. My son is a holy terror at school. At home, pretty good
>> > kid for a
>> > 5 year old. Now my wife swears that him a cting up in school is
>> & gt; because
>> > it is "genetic" and her brothers, etc.. got in a lot of trouble
>> > at
>> > school. I myself do not think it has anything to do with genes.
>> > What do
>> > you think?
>> >
>> > Robert Bailey
>> &n! bsp;>
>> >
>> >
>> >&n bsp; _____
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
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>------
>>
>>
>
>
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