Diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are up around 30 percent compared with 20 years ago. These days, if a 2-year-old won't sit still for circle time in preschool, she's liable to be referred for evaluation, which can put her on track for early intervention and potentially a lifetime of medication.
In an editorial just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, Dimitri Christakis argues that we've got this all wrong. He's a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and the director of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Children's Hospital in Seattle.
Parents, schools and doctors, he says, should completely rethink this highly medicalized framework for attention difficulties.
"ADHD does a disservice to children as a diagnosis," Christakis tells NPR Ed.
Here's why. Researchers are currently debating the nature of ADHD. They have found some genetic markers for it, but the recent rise in diagnoses is too swift to be explained by changes in our genes. Neuroscientists, too, are finding brain wiring patterns characteristic of the disorder.
But the current process of diagnosis amounts to giving a questionnaire to parents and doctors. If they identify six out of nine specific behaviors, then the child officially has ADHD.
"If you fall on this side of the line, we label and medicate you," says Christakis. "But on the other side of the line, we do nothing."
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23 comments:
ADHD has been demonstrated to involve a significant nutritional deficiency by a number of highly-respected physicians.
Not surprising, given the diet of many of our kids.. much of it void of any significant nutrition and laced with dyes and preservatives (many of which are neuro-toxic).
Vitamin B3 has a significant role in the process. Niacinamide (B3) therapy pioneer William Kaufman, M.D., Ph.D, wrote:
"Some patients have a response to niacinamide therapy which seems to be the clinical equivalent of 'decreased running' observed in experimental animals. When these animals are deprived experimentally of certain essential nutriments, they display 'excessive running,' or hyperkinesis. When these deficient animals receive the essential nutriments in sufficient amounts for a sufficient period of time, there is exhibited a marked 'decrease in running.'"
The benefit is so profound, said Dr. Kaufman, that a person receiving niacinamide treatment "may wonder whether or not his vitamin medications contain a sedative. . . "
This works. Big Pharma fights it tooth and nail, because there's big money in the drugs they sell. That's why you won't hear much about it.
Could be all the drugs that the parents have been taking since the 60's-70's.
I agree with the comedian Sinbad, as a young person I thought I was ADHD....but dad beat it out of me and now I'm just fine!!! LOL
I think that the amount of sugar that our children our being fed plays a large part in it also. Along with the loss of the vital nutrients that are needed, they suffer from the overload of sugar that is not needed.
Aluminum poisoning.
The government must continue the geoengineering program in order to prevent the Fukushima radiation from falling on the lower 48 states.
No way around the aluminum poisoning. It is simply something we must live with now.
If you have children that are having problems, you owe it to them and yourself to look into the nutritional approach. If you can get their diet cleaned up, it will make a MAJOR difference in how they feel and act.
Check the aluminum level in your next vaccination
Those of us who grew up in the 60's never heard of it. We spent time outside running, walking, riding bicycles, and playing sports and games!!! We were not stuck inside the house glued to an iPad or computer or cell phone. You want to help your child get them outside into the sunlight....let them work up an old fashion sweat!!!
Kids today are spoiled rotten to the core. The have no sense of direction. They are not taught survive skills. They are dumb as hell. And, they run in packs like hyenas causing havoc. Professionals call it ADHD. I call it spoiled rotten. They all need a good 'ole grandma and pop pop wip'in. When they they attempt to pick up the phone to call 911, police or social service; that will be their last call. They will truly get the fear of the all mighty beat down. You won't have anymore problems with thereafter. The ADHD will be cured. I raised two children, alone. Both are married with wondercul children of their own. My son is an OB Gyn physician. My daughter is a psychiatrist. They both are doing well. And, they take good care of me, their mother.
So called ADHD is from genetics in a parent and or diet ie low income children on bad diets ie welfare.
1:33
Sorry to tell you but you are not well informed.
It is not about sunshine.
It is about aluminum poisoning. Period.
Open up a book or something for crying out loud.
Our nation is so sick. DRUGS, DRUGS AND MORE DRUGS. How stupid is this? I have NEVER agreed with all this crap. 99% of the kids diagnosed with ADHD simply is WRONG.
Remember this if you don't remember another thing regarding this issue: DIET, DISCIPLINE AND LOVE. nothing more and nothing less. get it???! STOP THE DRUG MADNESS.
Diet, Discipline, and Love are great for children (of course).
However, they will do nothing to fix the aluminum poisoning.
Some folks here have done their research!
Aluminum poisoning is also the reason for the increase in Alzheimer, dementia, bi-polar disorder, and a number of other neurological diseases.
Alcoa can't wait for you to become aluminum poisoned.
My last Dr. appointment @ 61YO she said I'm not diabetic YET. Then I go outside and see a billboard that says, "If you were born between 1945 and 1965, you need to be checked for Hep C.
First, what are you putting in my food? My folks made 95 without being diabetic!
Second, what did you put in my vaccines? Why should I have to check for Hep2?
This is scary ship.
Girl please. I have a PhD in psychology and happily retired comfortable at 55. Love, faith and discipline help me raise two wonderful children. Not ADHD and Common Core.
The foods today do not contain the nutrients they once did. More chemicals are used in processing them. Food supplements and daily exercise are important for staying healthy today.
They tried to get my wife and I to put my kid on med years ago. Told them NO. They said he will have problems in the future. Well he graduated from college with honors and flew jets in the service. Now he flies a passenger jet. Yeah he had problems. They teachers and so called professional.
Girl please? ?? Doesn't sound like someone with a college degree let alone PhD!!!
Educated people are allow to relax and let loose at times. My PhD belongs to me. That, you will never to away.
Combination, lack of discipline, magnesium deficiency, and lack of social skills from too much tech and not enough play are what's increasing ADHD diagnoseses. Parents no longer know how to parent, kids are on devices wayyyy to much and frankly so are their parents. Polite social skills have diminished with lack of recess and the missing component of Sunday school where values and ethics were once reinforced. Television and radio reinforce lack of manners and promote "meanness" and video games and social media promote blaming others and disregard for humanity with comments like, "die in a fire," becoming the norm. Remember when George from Seinfeld was considered shocking? Watch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia... It plainly shows where we've gone in 25 years, and will blow your mind.
Here. Here. Let the truth be told. ADHD diagnosis is an excuse for some parents not taking the time out to work with their children. They want the systems to do the work for them.
Oops! My PhD bust. I meant, never take away.:-)
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