by Sylvia Harrison

Created on: October 28, 2009

Is ADHD over diagnosed in children?

Having read a great deal about ADHD, lived with it in myself, my children, my grandchildren, I can honestly say that most folks who believe ADHD is over diagnosed in children these days are ignorant of the invariable facts of just what ADHD can and does to those who nurture it.

When you get picked up for turning in the wrong lane or parking in the wrong spot, what are you most likely told? "Ignorance is no excuse".

Ignorance of ADHD is hurting our children, yes yours AND mine. Teachers who feel they know all about ADHD symptoms, trials, and how to deal with them are deluding themselves especially if all they have been taught on the subject has been from 1/8 of a college class. ADHD is a misfiring of neuro-electrons in the brain. More and more physical knowledge of ADHD is being provided. The symptoms of ADHD do include, but are not limited to:

Difficulty paying attention
Difficulty with organizational skills
Memory difficulties (forgetting papers, homework, pencils, what comes next)
Time mismanagement
Motivation (as in self-motivation skills)
Difficulty phasing out outside noise and events (Basically, trying to pay attention to too many things)
Many have difficulty expressing themselves or understanding directions
The list can go on.


Not all ADHD people deal with all these issues. And not all the same issues are presented at the same time in all ADHD people. One of the main things that is upsetting to teachers, parents, and the ADHD person, is that one day the attention span is better. Work is accomplished without a great deal of stress. Instead of looking at this as a good thing, I hear, over and over again, "Well, he didn't have this problem yesterday, so he must just be lazy today? " The difference is in the misfiring of the neuro-electrons which changes, not only day to day, but hour to hour!

Another great source of disturbance is when we hear, "Charles has CHOSEN to not get his work done. He has CHOSEN to receive an "F" instead." Turn that around. Perhaps an adequate answer to that is, "You have CHOSEN not to understand the disabilities associated with ADHD. You have CHOSEN to quit trying to find a way to teach Charles in a way he can comprehend at any particular moment." If you don't like that statement, don't use the first one. Being ADHD is not a choice any of us make. It is a true disorder and, unless you really take the time to study and figure it all out, your opinion on the matter is just that - opinion. Opinions are great

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