ADHD and daycare

[tuesdayschildish]

Did anyone catch this week’s Diary of a CEO podcast episode linking ADHD and daycare? I was a little sceptial but it seems the research is there.

What did you think?

Do you have a link to the research?

Stephen Bartlett said he ran the interview transcript through AI and it found research to support Komisar’s ideas

Will take a look at the podcast transcript when my kids are asleep

I think it's a pile of crap tbh. And pretty offensive.

My mum was a SAHP and I didn't spend any time in paid childcare. Strangely, that didn't prevent me from having adhd.

Thanks @CantHoldMeDown. Couldn’t see a thread on it when I searched earlier so that’s good to know. Will take a proper look at the other thread later - interested to hear what others have said. It does seem US centric. Nurseries generally don’t even accept newborns in this country. I guess stephen bartlett may not have known that without kids himself

Interestingly no one ever discusses the specific difference between a rise in the number of diagnosis and a rise in ADHD, which is two very different scenarios.

There are so many more reasons to seek a diagnosis for your child, both positive and negative.

I agree. Ditto autism

Hmm I'm not sure I trust Bartlett's assessment of any research, given his guests have included people saying you can treat cancer with a keto diet, and that autism can be "reversed" with the right diet. I don't really see it as a serious health podcast.

Her assertion that it's all down to mother's selfishness is so offensive and privileged. Most women work because they have to, FFS. They don't have the option of staying at home for 3 years.

Absolutely. Historically, there has been significant under diagnosis, especially amongst girls/women.

There is much greater awareness now, hence the apparent rise in numbers. In the past, people no doubt suffered silently and/or blamed themselves for perceived character flaws.

The focus on mothers' "selfishness" is also deeply misguided in my view.

My own mother would have been incredibly "selfless" in the eyes of Erica Komisar, having sacrificed a career that she loved to stay at home with her children because she believed that this was what a "good" mother should do. Unfortunately, she sacrificed her own mental health in the process, and we all paid the price for that. It would have been much better for all of us if she had felt able to ensure that her own needs were met as well as ours. Ironically, by trying to do right by us, she made our lives much more difficult.

Happy and fulfilled parents tend to make good parents. Sacrificing your own wellbeing on the altar of motherhood ultimately helps nobody.

Nurseries generally don’t even accept newborns in this country.

What are you considering as newborns? Most near me accept 8-week-olds. That's pretty young!

Are more children sent to diagnosis because childcare professionals can spot children who are different to their peers?

If your child has ADHD and in childcare, they’d still have ADHD if a parent was SAHP.

Say that mum’s working hours affected chance of having ND (I don’t believe this). Why don’t dad’s working hours affect outcomes ? Most dads I know work the same number of hours before and after kids and if they’ve been promoted, it may involve travel too. What about dads who spend their evenings and weekends doing their hobbies ? Why is it ok to leave the blame on mums who would be crucified if she split with partner and had to rely on taxpayers?

The average nursery in the UK definitely doesn’t intake from 8 weeks. I don’t know a single private nursery that takes below 3 months and I’ve never actually seen a 3 month old enrolled in a nursery .

I think more kids are being diagnosed primarily because, as a society, we are more aware.

But it's probably true that professionals are often more likely to spot the signs than parents. ADHD is strongly hereditary so a lot of parents will just normalise the symptoms.

The average age of starting childcare has risen in the UK over time (maternity leave has increased). If childcare caused ADHD then we’d be seeing fewer kids with it.

I thought UK nurseries generally accept kids from 6 months onwards. Could be wrong though.

The fact the podcast even refers to daycare repeatedly is making me realise how American a perspective this is!

Still can’t find the other thread. If anyone knows what category it’s in, I’d be really grateful.

The other thread is in chat.

Also, the focus on mothers being selfish. Fathers couldn't possibly be expected to do anything, better blame the mother.

This was my main gripe throughout too @JoyousEagle.

I actually agree with her that crazy long nursery hours from a young age must have some sort of effect on kids’ attachment etc. I’m a nursery mum so not judging anyone but it just seems common sense to me that would be the case as it’s how how we evolved. I also don’t think nurseries are comparable to a community caregiving like in hunter gatherer times for various reasons. However her argument that women are inherently better caretakers totally contradicts what I see everyday and the research I’ve read on the subject. There has been a lot of research on single dads etc and there is no difference in caretaking. So her argument seems needlessly sexist.