In ADHD data, growing worry about diagnoses?

In ADHD data, growing worry about diagnoses

Fifteen percent of school-age boys have received an ADHD diagnosis, the data showed; the rate for girls was 7 percent. Diagnoses among those of high-school age — 14 to 17 — were particularly high, 10 percent for girls and 19 percent for boys. About one in 10 high-school boys currently takes ADHD medication, the data showed.
According to Morning Joe, diagnoses have increased 53% in the last 10 years.  While I am sure there are some kids that need it, I am also sure there are families being pressured to take ADHD medications that don't need it.  In my own experience, and in hindsight, my mothers error in not allowing a truly ADHD child to not take the drug gave me the courage to say NO when it was being forced on my child. While my sibling probably still needs it, my child never did.

I've told my child's story many times, but the short synopsis is that upon moving to GA, a perfectly charming chid became a behavioral issue. She kicked off her shoes and she would perch on her knees in the desk. Her grades? They were fine, but she was a distraction to the teacher.  Every week for 2 years, I was pulled into an ADHD  conversation. At first I brushed it off, then I got mad. A teacher got mad back.  She told me "my son is taking Ritalin, why is your child so special that she can't take it?"  She continued, " she won't be able to do 2nd grade at this school without Ritalin". My reply...OK.  She pushed a doctors business card toward me.  I pushed it back. She didn't understand. I clarified.  "She won't be doing 2nd grade at this school.  We will homeschool. "

10 years later, my kid is graduating- a year early, and heading to college on scholarship.  I never drugged her, but I did control her diet...  No red drinks... Less processed foods... Things like that.  She grew out of her wiggly ways somewhere along the way.

I've mentioned all this to say that every wiggly child is not ADHD. theyre just kids. Perhaps intrad of changing diagnoses to include all kids and allowing teachers to make determinations, perhaps they should be narrowing down who they prescribe attention deficit drugs to.


FREE HOME EDUCATION WEBSITEahermitt.com

2 comments:

Happy Elf Mom (Christine) said...

Much of the wigglies are lack of outlet, too. Here I just got a note about how my kindergartener had indoor recess but was RUNNING and also refused to take the "nap" they offer the kids.

Come on! He hasn't napped since he was less than a year old.

Blondee said...

I think you were on to something with the diet changes you made. We live in a society of over-processed, chemically saturated, and food coloring raped food. Our daughter has Asperger's and I cannot begin to describe the difference in her once we removed grain and sugar from her diet. New child, much better behaved, more patient and calmer.

12 grade year of homeschooling, Finishing Strong

We are almost done with my college prep series. There will still be a video on completing the transcript.    Stay tuned... meanwhile, ...