To think that not everyone has ADHD

@Tr1pleJump the fact that you ascertain that concentration is the only problem in those with ADHD shows your compete ignorance.

The parents of the kids being diognosed with autism and ADHD have realised these things can and often are hereditary. They realise their kids are just like them. Then they realise uncle Dave is just like them too, and cousin Steve. I think it's been so undiagnosed in older people so you didn't hear about it as much back in the day. I know when my son was diagnosed it kind of made my whole family make sense.

I have a diagnosis, nobody knows at work and nobody knew through the whole of my education.

@Sidslaw I’m sure you’ll know that Russel Barkley is very highly regarded but obviously you know more than him …

Loulou599

No it isn’t.

This is true as well though.

@AuDHD4Me it's not about educating myself. It's an observation.

*ASD can be masked

ADHD cannot, the whole problem with ADHD is that it is a deficient of attention - someone who can concentrate of pretending they can concentrate, is concentrating, therefor not pretending....*

Um, Google it ... it's not about 'pretending' to concentrate!

Sidslaw educate yourself. There is masses more if you Google. Think I’ll go with the view of the highly qualified nhs team who diagnosed me thanks.

https://www.additudemag.com/neurodivergent-women-in-workplace-adhd-masking/amp/

Actual diagnosis, fair enough

I know adults who are self diagnosing to excuse their behaviour/ lifestyle.

Anyone who has met anyone with ADHD knows it can't be masked, not really. It's instantly recognisable

Yes you’re right, I apologise. My daughter’s best friend was diagnosed with ADHD after basically shutting down. She had been masking for so long and GCSE study just overwhelmed her to where she ground to a halt. Horrible to see.

Not everyone does, no. But some people do.

Plus, people put a load of rubbish on MN half the time - a MN thread where posters randomly “diagnose” someone with ADHD doesn’t mean they’ll ever get an actual diagnosis. Because alot of them won’t have it.

However it’s important not to discount people who actually have ADHD by saying “oh everyone has that these days” because a bunch of muppets are self diagnosing on Mn.

Ok i will describe what my dd was like as baby /toddler to now and why she is on adhd asd waitlist.
Baby
Couldnt be put down
Cried from birth
Would never sleep more than like 40 min and even worse when teething. Till at minimum 1
Would never listen to no or stop would in fact intentionally do whatever it was
On putting into settling sessions at 1 would cry continuously.
Took her out of nursery.
At playgroups would never sit for story. Would move between activities every few mins
Never had regular naps as wouldnt sleep
For eg at gp appt for me would touch everything in the room if i was occupied
Potty trained about 3.5yo but everyone even around then sometimes wee'd on the floor intentionally if she was annoyed
At preschool got in trouble several times. Created a water play by flooding the sink
Threw sand on another kid.
Threatened to bite the ta
At school she did bite and scratch others
Spitting.
Some of the behaviours were new at school.
Hit kids on the head if they annoyed her.
It didnt matter the punishment or warnings.
Things like 'naughty step' or taking toys away or reward charts didnt work and if there was a big issue it tended to explode if focussed on with a reward chart.
She was sent out of class, or to other class or to HT or to much higher class. No effect.
She hid under the desk for the chat i had with the school nurses re adhd and that was end of yr r. She came in room and straight under table which was again new.
She did have some friends but never ever a best friend years r-6. Over time moved more to boys.
Excluded from out of school activity and had had issues at swimming or sports clubs too.

So its really not just a bit forgetful and it has caused major issues.
almost excluded in reception.
it is somewhat also personality -she is difficult and argumentative. Stubborn
But also gifted and uses that to try to win.
But she will eg hide out keys. Or other dc toys.

I think she was likely the child in her year with second most issues. But being a girl it was mostly ignored and
If 5% kids have adhd and maybe 2% asd there are a lot around.
It maybe in some areas where having children later there will be more cases.
I do notice that many of the women have pcos or were maybe overweight in pregnancy.
My sister was a bright child and a bit tricky but no social issues. Did have an ED phase though.
Imo uni has allowed more similar people to meet. Which is also the case with women working.

I think things like Tik Tok has a lot to answer for. Videos saying that "only people with ADHD are calmed by this music" sort of stuff. And also "if you stim to this music, you have ASD". People pick up on one thing, and then self diagnose. Like a few PP, I have seen it happen on social media with BPD and Bipolar. When I had a CPN, she said whenever there was a major mental health story line in a soap, they had a huge amount of new referrals.

You put it much better than I did. Thank you.

ThePoshUns

What a ridiculous thing to say. Why would anybody want adhd?

Probably the most ignorant comment on this thread. I hate to burst your bubble but neurological conditions such as ADHD are found in all “communities” and as conditions you are born with, they cannot be cured with discipline.

It cannot be "masked".

Righty ho.

And yes, my daughter is messy, chaotic room, forgetful, clumsy, struggles with noise/distraction, and super clever.

Lots of people ARE on the spectrum. I meet SO many kids who have ASD traits and are probably mildly affected.
Ditto ADHD. Only realised I probably have it after DD investigated for it. Then I look at my parents and grandparents and think....hmm yes!

My daughter and myself are consummate maskers. The emotional turmoil and burnout from brave facing the world is huge.

@Twinsmummy1812 you’re thinking of the male presentation of ADHD though. In young boys ADHD may look like bad behaviour/poor parenting but in most girls the symptoms are just so different and just don’t line up with what you’re saying. In fact why are so many girls missed as having ADHD? Because they masked it so well that no one knew. They might have been a bit chatty in class, might have forgotten to hand their homework in or had messy work but they weren’t the ones throwing chairs at teachers.