ADHD discussion thread

[righty]

Re: adhd discussion thread

Also what about the McCann's a doctor watching them on TV accused them of lying and that they did have something to do with their child's disappearance. He was rightly sued by them. I can't be sure be he may have been struck off also.

MissFM I'm not suggesting that ALL such conditions are man-made many are very real particularly to those afflicted by them. I am saying that some. not many, but some are promoted for the benefit of drug companies and not the patients

Anyway we can go around in circles others have their opinions and I have mine so we'll have to agree to disagree

[righty]

Re: adhd discussion thread

Couple of points:
ADHD/ADD are not "newly found". Attention deficit was first described in 1798 by Sir Alexander Crichton. The labels might be newish but the conditions have been identified for near on 200 years! A rose by any other name is still a rose.
Symptoms of those conditions are not limited to bad behaviour.
To argue that one doctor continually misdiagnosed one condition, and therefore other doctors are misdiagnosing this condition is illogical.


Oops... three points!

Sorry des but because it was diagnosed in 1798 doesn't mean its valid now anymore than it was then Remember it was given science that the Sun circled the Earth AND the Earth was flat. Anyone who disagreed faced the distinct possibility of being put to death.

[Wombats]

Re: adhd discussion thread

MissFM I'm not suggesting that ALL such conditions are man-made many are very real particularly to those afflicted by them. I am saying that some. not many, but some are promoted for the benefit of drug companies and not the patients

Having disagreed with most of what you've said up to this point, on the short paragraph above I agree entirely with you. Most people know I suffer with quite severe 'issues' at times, and also that many believe those are fabricated and are vocal in saying so.

All I can say is that I would happily invite anyone who questions whether or not my illnesses are genuine to come and live with us for a month or two. They would see VERY clearly indeed that what I say about my illnesses is 100% true.

Having said that, I have argued long and hard with psychiatrists and psychologists, often reading to a pretty in-depth degree about what they're saying, to resist being 'labelled' with something I believe to be mumbo jumbo.

ADHD is a serious issue, and usually has a fairly significant, identifiable reason (like my nephew who had brain damage soon after birth due to contracting meningitis). I would wholeheartedly agree that Educational Psychologists and others massively over-diagnose the condition. I would argue similarly for dyspraxia, sometimes dyslexia (I'm sure I would now have been diagnosed dyslexic; I'm not!)

All these impairments / illnesses / syndromes - call them what you will - should be treated with respect, but IMO with a degree of caution as well.

As someone who suffers a range of issues, I am very cautious indeed about accepting any new diagnosis, especially if I cannot reason it through in my own mind and read extensively about it to understand it as best I can. I need to agree with the diagnosis, not just accept it. My previous consultant always described appointments with me as rather like a 'mental jousting' match.

The main issue I have mentioned though is the abuse of the terms through their overuse and misdiagnosis, rather than the terms themselves. I remember when I was teaching having a child who was supposedly dyspraxic, and I believed to be downright lazy (his mother and father were both Ed Psych's!) After one year with me, the child had magically 'recovered' completely. His parents were gobsmacked and the child was, I think, glad he no longer had to pretend to be something he wasn't. It was a simple case of over-diagnosis.

I'll shut up, I could write all night about this. :beagle:

[des8]

Re: adhd discussion thread

Thank you for a sensible, sensitive post, Wombats.
However you do keep late hours!

One aspect of the problem, which affects other conditions, is the desire of patients/relatives to put a label on a diagnosis.
People tend to feel more comfortable if a problem can be seen to have been identified; there is something to focus on, to be dealt with. It makes one feel in control.

Our middle son (J) has several conditions which mirror some of the ADHD symptoms, plus others including dyslexia &,Scheuermann's disease.
Like Wombat we did a lot of in depth reading, and then agreed with his pediatrician that his conditions would not be labelled but dealt with.
This produced problems dealing with the LEA (he hasn't got a condition so doesn't require extra help). A win at tribunal was necessary to have a statement issued.

Now I would say my children (all 9 yes 9!) come from "a settled, caring and controlled environment where boundries are set".
Married for 46 years (to the same person), all the children have flown the nest and except for J are gainfully employed, variously as teachers, research scientist, carers etc.

So if the problems are caused by upbringing, which was implied in an earlier post,what did we do wrong with J.

So the doctor who pronounced about the McCanns is a plonker. what does that have to do with a discussion about ADHD?

[leclerc]

Re: adhd discussion thread

http://www.autism.org.uk/about-autis...-disorder.aspx

The above is my one and only contribution to this thread as it is in Family part of the forum.