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Original poster

"Where were all the kids with ADHD 40 years ago then?"

242 replies

colditz · 19/05/2010 19:29

Help me to answer my dad, who has delivered a fantastically ignorant diatribe (mainly along the lines of Ds1 "can't possibly be autistic, he's always smiling at me. He's a happy boy Colditz, he's not Autistic") but he has raised a point I can't answer.

Where were the children with ADHD 40 years ago?

Where were the children with High Functioning Autism?

According to him, and many people in their 50s, there WAS no ADHD, or CERTAINLY there wasn't in their school .... so ... where were they?

OP posts:
maltesers · 19/05/2010 20:08

Its wasnt meant to be.. . . .sorry mnetters
. My ds of 9yrs has inherited his fathers ADHD .

Having said that, it is clear to you guys that i do understand, sorry , if you are chatting in empathy mode. However, my Ex made my life a total misery, through things at me, pushed me over, hit me and caused me ABH.

Greensleeves · 19/05/2010 20:10

If your ex did those things to you then that is because he was an arsehole, not because he had ADHD or autism

that is our fucking kids you are talking about

maltesers · 19/05/2010 20:10

Why do you guys have to be so rude.......GREENSLEEVES. .. ?. ? Dont swear. . . .i find that VERY offensive.

Greensleeves · 19/05/2010 20:10

This reply has been deleted

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notquitenormal · 19/05/2010 20:10

DPs brother is in his mid-forties and has aspergers syndrome. He was diagnosed about 5 years ago after his parents moved away and he had a complete breakdown.

His younger brother (27) also has it and eventually had to move back in with his parents because he couldn't cope with the changes.

I think the schools simply took them for being a bit slow. The youger one, at least, is actually pretty smart; given the right guidance I think he could have found a niche that suited him and done really well.

Greensleeves · 19/05/2010 20:11

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Message withdrawn

maltesers · 19/05/2010 20:11

Your what kids.? . . . . .CHARMING KIDS !

Pikelit · 19/05/2010 20:12

But with respect, maltesers, that was your ex who, I'm presuming was not some sort of ambassador for ADHD. So while I have every sympathy for your bad times, it's hardly reasonable to imply that people that with ADHD have no right being "out there".

Greensleeves · 19/05/2010 20:12

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iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 19/05/2010 20:13

I am old enough to remember Magpie (70s kids TV programme like Blue Peter) fundraisung for Autistic Children's clubs, so it did exist 40 years ago!
I don't recall any special needs children in any of my schools, apart from one boy who left to go to a 'special school'

maltesers · 19/05/2010 20:13

charming, charming, so lady like and polite.

maltesers · 19/05/2010 20:14

I was being somewhat sarcastic PIKELIT. . .its was a term of phrase. .

Greensleeves · 19/05/2010 20:14

likewise

but I only attack adults with revolting bigoted views

not children with SN

ABatInBunkFive · 19/05/2010 20:17

A term of phrase that is extremly offensive.

BigWeeHag · 19/05/2010 20:21

They were the loners, the introverts and the bullied, the class clowns, the naughty kids, the delinquents.

They were labelled all right, just not really in a constructive way.

minxofmancunia · 19/05/2010 20:21

Undiagnosed ADHd in adults is a pretty shitty affliction. Could be one of the reasons prisons are so chokka. ADHD children unfortunately sometimes have a natural drift to criminal activities and being manipulated by their more unscrupulous peers. If more adult psychiatrists would accept it as a condition and start treating it would really really help a lot of people. When my clients (work in CAMHS) get to 18 they are literally thrown out into a wilderness as they can't get treatment . Then they end up on loads of horrible benzos.

FWIW I have appalling concebtration, I can't do coursework, I day dream, I find it hard to stick to task, I'm forgetful, scatty, disorganised, fidget constantly, am a shit sleeper, rarely finish things get v v bored and got myself into a lot of mischief when I was younger by constantly stimulation seeking. diagnosed with depression/anxiety at age 19.

I was off the radar tho as i didn't misbehave (common with girls they're more often inattentive/daydreamy rather than hyper) and i was clever. Managed school fine, Uni was a struggle due to coursework. Had the intelligence but couldn't concentrate. Got through it but really underacheived. Have had low self esteem about it ever since. So that's what happened to a lot of us.

Fennel · 19/05/2010 20:22

I think 40 years ago most of the kids with HFA were in my family, my brother is very like some children I know now with AS. And my cousin would probably have been diagnosed with ADHD (he got expelled or asked to leave rather a lot of schools, he still can't settle to anything even now). They were around, but generally without the labels. my father too, and dbil's brother and father, and several other friends' fathers, all probably HFA/AS.

and then then all went off to populate the maths and physics departments of universities, and actuarial courses, where they lived happily ever after, in their own way.

maltesers · 19/05/2010 20:23

I am out of this horrible common swearing post Greensleeves. I meant no offense but i find you very very disgustingly rude and offensive.

Fibilou · 19/05/2010 20:24

My cousin has a son diagnosed with ADHD. My aunt has him in the summer holidays and surprise, surprise he is very well behaved when he stays with her. She gives him attention, discipline and boundaries, all of which are completely lacking at home. Apparently cousin just turfs him and his older sister out of the house in the late afternoon and tells them not to come back until later. According to her son she just isn't interested in him at all.

Now does he actually have a mental disorder or is he just suffering from "parents aren't interested" ? I appreciate that some children genuinely have behavioural problems but I do believe that labels are given to children when some better parenting would solve the acting up.

minxofmancunia · 19/05/2010 20:24

Also impulsive and quick to temper, that also got me into a lot of strife. just classed as "rebellious"

Rebeccaruby · 19/05/2010 20:27

Off topic I know, but when I was in infant school I was bullied by the most dysfunctional kid in the class. He came from a big family who always smelled slightly, and was sent to a special unit in our school when we moved on to senior school. He was by far the slowest in the class, and slightly strange looking. He was nasty and disruptive. I don't think he ever learned to read.

I was watching a documentary about Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, and immediately recognised his features. He was a classic case of no filtrum, strangely spaced eyes, flattened type of face, exactly the same as the kids on the programme. I immediately thought "that looks exactly like Pete Smith" (not real name). FAS kids have learning and behaviour difficulties just as he did.

Back then, nobody had heard of FAS. But I'm sure this kid had it. The facial features were so distinct. Just not diagnosed.

So, just because a syndrome wasn't recognised years ago, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Greensleeves · 19/05/2010 20:28

off you pop then

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 19/05/2010 20:28

Cargirl- With regrads to ADHD it is not more common in boys, it's just that it tends to go more unoticed in girls as they tend to be more on the 'attention deficit' and 'dreamy' side rather than the attention demanding 'hyper' side.

iwastooearlytobeayummymummy · 19/05/2010 20:29

minx

your post has made me thoughtful about somebody I know.Could you recommend a web link please?

minxofmancunia · 19/05/2010 20:30

for your nephew fibilou it's a v grey area TBH. The party line at work is that parents should do a parenting course before treatment trials, you can imagine how well that particular one goes down. (NICE guidelines btw).

Truth is you get some "pure" cases which are usually v clear immediately. Some complex cases which are less clear but can respond to 2 pronged treatment (parenting plus meds) and a few cases where it isn't ADHD it's problems as a result of upbringing/parenting. That's the reality of it.