Attention-deficit hyper-active disorder, described as "the co-existence of attentional problems and hyperactivity" with each behavior occurring sporadically. According to the National Institute, two to three percent of children (approximately 5 million) have ADHD, with most symptoms surfacing before the age of seven. Mostly boys are diagnosed, and 65% of children diagnosed have disciplinary problems.
But how many of those children diagnosed with ADHD actually have it?
It’s hard to say, especially considering most diagnoses are not even given by doctors but by school teachers and day care administrators.
A recent CNN report says:
Many parents begin their struggles with treating their children’s ADHD… with a suggested diagnosis from a school or day care setting. That’s a problem, doctors say, when there could be many other factors contributing to a child’s behavior.
For a teacher to suggest that a child has ADHD is "inappropriate and dangerous," says Dr. Elizabeth Roberts, child psychiatrist in Murrieta, California. Depression, anxiety and abuse are all possibilities in a child’s life that could lead to attention problems, Roberts said. That means that many children are receiving medication for the wrong problem.
Roberts wants to say to all educators: "There are many, many diagnoses that cause these problems, including abuse and depression and anxiety. So please, withhold your judgment."
Teachers have a very active role in young students’ lives and have a completely different perspective on a child’s behavior than a parent does. Although a teacher can in fact be an important asset in determining whether your child has ADHD, they should never recommend medication for ADHD with children. First of all, they aren’t medical professionals and secondly, only ten to twenty percent of children with ADHD actually need medication. Most of all, many of the problems in the clasroom that can be summed up to ADHD, are in fact just down right behavioral problems that stem from problems from the home and just general parenting.
Most kids diagnosed just simply learn different than other students and do not respond well to classroom settings. Many of them simply need a different homework setting, tutors or counseling for issues in the home. ADD and ADHD medicine are very serious drugs to put a child on and should not be done on the whim of anyone’s aside from a licensed professional, as they are derivatives of Meth, basically.
For all parents who are concerned that their children have an attention disorder, or any disorder for that matter, should consult a physician before jumping to conclusions. ADHD, although now mainstream in the media and news, is not a term to just throw around or a condition that should be treated like the common cold. ADHD is a serious condition that should be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.
"especially considering most diagnoses are not even given by doctors but by school teachers and day care administrators"
Where is your citation for this information? Is it research-based or anecdotal? This is a very broad statement.