Channel 4 ADHD documentary

[crackerjackbaby]

Totally totally one sided. And very dangerous as a result of that. AIBU to think this?

Agree. DS (12) hasn't got ADHD but he is ASD (another disorder attributed to 'bad parenting'). What a lot of posters have described isn't a neuro disorder, that would be like me saying as I'm organised I have OCD.

DS has a mobile only on school days. Although DH and I teach, DS' school finishes before ours so we need to know he's home and can contact us. He doesn't have any other devices. This summer he has run 5K each day, completed his homework (to keep up with his peers), worked one day a week with his Godfather earning some money. Guess what? He's still autistic.

Sometimes I worry for the adult world DS will enter. Not that he'll be unemployable but because he'll face he prejudice displayed from the attitudes from the programme and posters on here.

But does that matter? If a person has difficlulty with inattention or impulsively with no known cause and takes a med that helps them focus and pause before acting, whats the issue? Especially when the med is gatekept by a specialist healthcare professional who checks you need it. Less than half of people with adhd take meds.

I haven’t watched this.
But one of my children has ADHD and I’m not sure it exists really. 😂 school used to bring up medication level ADHD….

It ‘goes away’ with lots of physical activity and a good routine. Also if she’s had a lot of screen time, just once or twice a week for TV or video games most of time. But really I’ve found and question for others is ADHD just needing more physical activity than most, negatively impacted by screen time... the kids I know with ADHD who have ADHD traits, do not have exercise most days, and have daily screen time.
I think there should be a lot more studies into what ADHD is, what it means, and if medication should be allowed. I think this is a good conversation to have.

The issue is only an issue when people claim PIP.

I have a ds with severe autism and follow a lot of facebook pages that advocate for similar people.

After the death of the Cambridge lecturer there was a clear message of "stop diagnosing mental health needs as autism and give those people the help thry need rather than a catchall autism diagnosis".

I think the same is happening with adhd, I believe some people haveadhd and others get a diagnosis to hide mental health needs, either becaise it is more socially acceptable, acceptable to them or because of the fiancial implications to both them and services in terms of benefits and the underfunding of mental health support.

And that it because you don't have it.

Medication for ADHD isn’t going to get you PIP because it is treating the condition.PIP is allocated for support needs which will reduce with medication.

Exactly. People saying things like this are ignorant of the daily reality of living with ADHD.

And it has been proven that people with ADHD on medication react very differently to people without it on the same medication, because quite simply, their brain chemistry is different. DS1 (16) has ADHD. He was not diagnosed before the age of 13 and actually was never 'badly behaved'. He also has autism, and is desperately shy so he was completely anxious and silent and terrified of putting a foot wrong. But he simply could not function and when we started medication it was like a switch. All of a sudden the sort of internal 'noise' that was in the way was removed and he was able to be the person he really is. Calmer, more engaged with life generally, less anxious. We sometimes take medication breaks (with approval from his psychiatrist) in the summer holidays (basically when there are no demands on him) in order to keep his medication levels as low as possible and the difference is like night and day. He becomes erratic, irrational, hyper sensitive, weepy and sometimes violent.

I was very reluctant to medicate, but as his psychiatrist said 'You can always take him off it'. But it worked brilliantly. His true personality has come out and he is able to cope with daily life. I believe it was - in our case- a game changer and probably literally a life saver.

That is your hypothesis. Not reality. There are often comorbidities with autism due to how it severely impacts life but it’s hugely difficult to dissect as is autism and learning disabilities. People need and should get support for autism, mental health difficulties and learning disabilities. I really don’t think anybody should be telling disabled people what they have or haven’t got over the internet.

Many of those co-morbidities are physical too such as a variety of auto-immune disorders and conditions such as EDS where the composition of connective tissue in the body is different to standard and much more prone to injury.

There is much debate at the moment over autism and whether the changes to the diagnosis to include more presentations are beneficial. Most people who care for somebody with severe/ profound/ classical/ old school/ high support/ low functioning (pick your term) believe the diagnosis should be split. This is part of the reasoning.

I’m not ignorant. I have a daughter with ADHD who is on medication and I thought the doc was good.
Why are people so quick to discount environmental factors? We know the importance of sleep, diet, stress, outdoor time for cancer patients, chronic fatigue so why would ADHD be any less impacted by improving the person’s health in these areas?
If there is a biological basis for this condition, which I don’t believe there is, why is there much less ADHD in countries like Scandinavia with world class health systems? Could it be the slower pace of life, better diet and emphasis on time spent outdoors? Their amazing education system? Their higher taxes paying for amazing resources in the community? Their work life balance (for parents) being much, much better??
I think I could ‘cure’ my daughter if we moved to a countryside retreat, gave up my tech, quit my job and we became very connected to the land and the food we ate. If we could run and swim and walk and play and read every day.
But I can’t, so we won’t, and she’ll stay on meds.

Exactly. Relieved medication wasn’t pushed onto your son back then!

Way too many boys are being labelled as having ADHD, instead of their environment being considered. They gave huge testosterone surges around age 7, and should spend far more time outdoors both during the school day and at home. Children used to climb trees, ride bikes, be outside until bedtime. Funnily enough, they didn’t have ADHD!

But it didn’t cure the 1 child experimented on. He was still disruptive in school, not achieving and returned to medication.

Sweden, Norway and Iceland have higher diagnosis rates than the UK because it’s under diagnosed in the UK.

Do you know that for a fact about Scandinavian countries or do you just assume? Because the data doesn’t support your statement.They have comparable levels and Sweden has actually seen a sharp increase in diagnosis. But why bother with facts?

Back in my day no one had asthma, eczema, allergies, digestive conditions or type 1 diabetes either. No one denies these things exist or says that we just need more fresh air.

My son was picked up in school as potentially having ADHD. He waited years for a diagnosis which was ADHD and traits of autism . He chose to take meds as he was struggling with work exams . The meds caused a seizure so he had to stop them and was also unable to drive. He devised his own coping strategies such as exercise and good diet . His main difficulty is explaining to people that he learns differently and needs clear instructions. He works in an area where people believe ADHD doesn't exist. He is now on meds for the underlying anxiety . It was very hard for me seeing the “ meltdowns “ he would occasionally have when overwhelmed. Thankfully I now see the triggers . Don’t tell me it doesn’t exist !

Again, consider environmental factors. More products stripping our skin of natural oils. Less time outside, less contact with germs, less contact with animals to build up any natural immunity.

Do they exist or not?

Sorry but do you really think there isn't loads of research in existence and ongoing into ADHD?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it could be wiped out with physical activity! My DD plays netball and football and still has ADHD!

How to tell us all that you don't have ADHD, and have NO concept of it at all. Why have you got such a strong opinion on it, when you know nothing about it?

I was talking about his behaviour at home. And he was made to go back on the meds that he hated because of poor exam results. Did you ignore that part?

But the boy in the documentary went back to his same school, the environmental factors largely stayed the same! School is really, really boring. My dc who is NT is so bored of worksheets, uninspired curriculum and teachers distracted by thirty kids. It’s not the kid, it’s the schools.

I have no experience of supporting anyone with ADHD therefore have no real reference however some of the comments on here are fucking horrible and dripping with ignorance.

“I know one person who doesn’t instill boundaries with their kids and claims ADHD therefore it’s all over diagnosed rubbish” 😳

I did say a lot of clubs and I meant a lot.

My DD does a sports club 7-8 times a week term-time, with clubs at school plus outside of school. 2 of them are 2 hours long! And she wants to add more!!
But I’ve said no as I we haven’t the time.

I’m not talking about a little physical activity with a few clubs. I’m talking about a lot of clubs. Most people would be exhausted by, but she still has lots of energy / not a zombie, does well in school which she didn’t before she we got to this point of physical activity. This is where I feel ADHD is a super power. It’s insane. And I don’t think most people can understand how it’s possible for a child not do this and not burn out unless they’ve experienced a child like this. Her siblings could not cope, understandably.