by Sabrina Ginesi

Created on: April 07, 2009

Yes it is most definitely over diagnosed, and more to the point is it an escape for negligent parenting or to keep psychiatry in the labelling business? Coming from a psychotherapeutic background, I believe ADHD speaks for itself really. Children deprived of the fundamental needs in childhood (nurturing, security and stability) are bound to reach out in other areas where they feel they will replace this need that is so often denied to them.

Labelling a child with a disorder before they even have the chance to embark on life is really setting them up for all sorts of dysfunctions. Should a child present to the medical services with symptoms of ADHD, surely the work could be aimed at parenting rather than singling the child out. Work on the parents while assessing the child for proof of the progress. A dysfunction in a child represents a dysfunction in the home, yet so many officials deem it too hard to address the real problem and chose to make the child the problem. I believe if the fundamental issue is addressed, the child will unconsciously learn from their surroundings and what is being presented to them.

Referring back to the child's basic needs, if the parents deny a child one or all of their needs, nature has us designed to reach for those needs to somehow have them met. Upon rejection of these needs being met the child is naturally going to act out in ways only they know how to demand this attention. This is a classic symptom of the child wanting love and attention, what every innocent child in this world deserves. Too often this demand is too big for the negligent parents to meet so handing them over to professionals, takes the responsibility away from them and in effect handing their job as parents over too.

The solution to this, it seems with an increase in 'labelling' that the solution is far from being sought. As long as parents are not being looked at in terms of their parenting style and the voiceless child screaming to put a language on his inner most needs will bound to be treated as the one in the wrong. I think it is truly sad society has accepted this 'label' and professionals continue to focus on the child. Maybe this label should be referred to 'parental attention deficit hyperactivity disorder' instead and give the defenceless child a chance in life. Why professionals deem it necessary to medicate a child while at crucial developmental stages is bound to be marking them for life. Gone are the day when the role for taking care of a child is with the parents. Maybe this explains the increase in diagnoses. A poor excuse for robbing a child of a chance in life I would think.

Learn more about this author, Sabrina Ginesi.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.