Do many people think that ADHD is not real?

[Ilovecranberries]

Was having remote drinks with a friend and his wife yesterday. She's a secondary school teacher in a quite "rough" school (not in the UK). I was quite surprised when, discussing something quite abstract about how different people think and react differently, she had said quite breezily that the majority of teachers she knows "don't believe" in the existence of ADHD.
Incidentally, one of my children is currently being assessed for it, but it is not news that I had shared socially outside of my immediate family. I wasn't offended, but I wonder if it is actually a widespread view behind the closed doors?

Thirteen pages of posters dispelling disablist myths, maybe read it before posting?

Didn't take long for the ignorants to come out.

The same sort of twat who doesn't believe Dyspraxia exists despite his son being diagnosed with it.

If you think ADHD is overdiagnosed, how do you explain the varies reports from professionals that it actually underdiagnosed in the UK and particularly underdiagnosed in girls/women?

My Mum is a TA and she thinks ADHD is entirely made up and just used as an excuse for naughty kids/poor parenting. I don’t agree with her fwiw but that’s her opinion, she also thinks bipolar is made up…

She shouldn't be working anywhere near children or young people with shit opinions like that.

Definitely a "real" condition.

Sadly probably simultaneously over diagnosed and underdiagnosed, depending on where you live, how you parent etc. I suspect there are some children just barely "managing" with it because they have especially alert teachers and parents who have hit upon strategies that help, and this may lead to underdiagnosis/problems later on. However there may also be instances where its overdiagnosed and associated with chaotic homes, struggling parents or simply confused with a different problem.

If you think ADHD is overdiagnosed, how do you explain the varies reports from professionals that it actually underdiagnosed in the UK and particularly underdiagnosed in girls/women?

The only thing I would say to that is have you ever seen a professional in a particular specialism acknowledge overdiagnosis of their specialism? They do have something of a vested interest in there being a significant population of people for them to treat etc.

Can’t believe more deletions already. I would like to know why it seems so important for some people to think ADHD is not real. If you don’t know much about it, and you’re not affected by it, that’s totally fine. But what makes you need to deny its existence. What do you lose if ADHD is real?

@MellowBird85

I think the problem is it’s overused, particularly on children that come from chaotic households. So children who may not have been taught appropriate behaviour (boundaries, social skills, impulse control) are then labelled as such by their parents who can’t accept that it is their parenting that is the issue.

Exactly. Which is why parents of children with suspected adhd have to go through a parenting course before treatment is given in my county. It’s difficult but parents who genuinely want help for their children will jump through any hoop. ADHD is 100% real but to an untrained eye can be confused with poor parenting.

It's a very wide-spread view that it isn't real, usually followed up by claims of poor parenting/naughty kids. I used to hold the exact same view... Until I had a child with ADHD. I feel guilty for ever having that mindset and it infuriates me when people say those things now. Especially when people say it in front of me, knowing full well my kid is diagnosed with it FFS. I do think it's quite terrifying to think there are teachers who don't believe in it. What support can these children possibly get at school if they're already hitting a brick wall with their teacher?

Professionals such as NICE?

I also think people who don't believe it is real have absolutely zero idea how much the path to diagnosis actually entails.
Agree with PP, though, that there are parents who claim their children have ADHD without seeking any formal help/diagnosis. They're not helping anyone.

LittleTiger007

I think especially effective if those sorts of courses can be focussed on parenting behaviours that are known to help children who do turn out to have ADHD.

I remember a parent of an autistic child once telling me that lots of the strategies she employed, while particularly beneficial to her child, can be useful for anyone and it does no harm to try. I imagine the same could be true of strategies known to help support those with ADHD?

When we forgot to give ds his meds one morning, his senco (with my permission) rounded up all the nqt teachers and new staff to "observe" him for the morning, they had all met him across various classes and knew him to be quiet,bright, an average shy 11yr old boy.... Needless to say during art music and pe he had them all run raggad, he non stop monologues about nothing in particular loudly, couldn't focus couldn't sit still, or stay in his seat had no idea what was going on, nearly took 2 out with frisbe golf and left his stuff everywhere, he was the life and soul of every room
but very little learning happened. senco said it was by far the best teaching aid for those that don't think adhd is real.... he had his meds at lunch, and aced his science test under exam conditions that afternoon:)

It is a neurological disability. The brain develops 30% slower than peers. So an 11 year old is functioning on 9 year old level.

Wordsareveryunnecessary it's not as simple as that is it? I thought it was difficulties in specific areas, not being developmentally delayed

It does definitely affect social maturity - at least in my son. The pediatric psychiatrist said we should not hold age-appropriate expectations but to lower them at least a couple of years.

The neurologist said the same thing to us when DS was diagnosed with ASD and that to get a gauge of where to set behavioural expectations we should consider his cognitive age to be approximately a third behind his chronological age.

I roll my eyes at the “ADHD didn’t exist in my day” folk.

neither did wearing seatbelts, we all know how that ended.

People using it as an excuse for bad behaviour is a myth. Would you say that some people in wheelchairs are using it as an excuse not to walk? No? Then don't say similar things about neurodevelopmental disabilities.

@Bellend101

It's a very wide-spread view that it isn't real, usually followed up by claims of poor parenting/naughty kids. I used to hold the exact same view... Until I had a child with ADHD. I feel guilty for ever having that mindset and it infuriates me when people say those things now. Especially when people say it in front of me, knowing full well my kid is diagnosed with it FFS. I do think it's quite terrifying to think there are teachers who don't believe in it. What support can these children possibly get at school if they're already hitting a brick wall with their teacher?

100% this.

Those thinking it is chaotic parenting. ADHD can be a genetic condition so it is quite likely the parents and grandparents have ADHD themselves.
Also just because (especially in girls) a child doesn’t come across as having ADHD doesn’t mean the parents are making things up,
Children can mask symptoms making when they get home explosive especially if they just have the inattentive part.

As for being less mature than their peers. Don’t forget we never really age after 21.