ADHD

[Hopandaskip]

AIBU to think that if up to 16% of kids in one US state are diagnosed with ADHD that ADHD isn't a syndrome, it is normal?

It seems crazy to me the number of children who are being medicated with mind altering drugs. Up to 10% of school age boys in the U.S?

Please could you provide a reference for me to read about this causality?

Also, could you let me know what the 'treatment' is for ODD?

Google oppositional defiance disorder untreated- I just did and Found lloads of references

I understood that ODD was a co-morbid conditon that occoured when other conditions were left untreated.

Years of negative attention and needs being left unmet lead to ODD. (over simplified obviously)

Is that the same for CD?

(genuine question - not trying to stir up anything).

Yes that's what I understood also mrsdevere
So if a child has ADHD/ dyslexia for example and has no dx or support they may go on to develop ODD

OK, I have consulted Dr Google as you suggest. There is no mention that ODD causes conduct disorder. Just suggestions that some children who do not stop displaying ODD symptoms (either as a result of some sort of intervention or because they 'grow out of it') may go on to meet the criteria for CD. This is not the same thing as causality.

Now we are saying dyslexia may cause ODD??

So, dyslexia > ODD > CD unless your parents engage in some parenting classes?

Were you one of the people up thread who was saying unqualified people shouldn't make assertions?

I'm not making assertions - you asked for links So I googled quickly. My training wasn't over the internet. I'm not saying that dyslexia leads to ODD - I said that it was my understanding that undiagnosed comorbidities can lead to ODD.e.g. adhd/dyslexia with no dx and badly catered for, could lead to behaviour which the could be dxed as ODD. My point (although I can see I am not making it very well) was that ODD doesn't occur by itself, it's co-morbid with other conditions. Hence a child has to be neurologically wired towards developing ODD.

The NAS 'you need to know campaign' quotes prevalence of ASD and ODD/CD as 30%

Yes, I agree when you put it like that.

I think the problem with all these conditions is that they are functions of neurocognitive dysfunctions that are as yet poorly understood both in terms of aetiology and impact.

Hopefully the next decade of research will bring some enlightenment.

Yes that would be good

Asiatic, I didn't say DD1 'has' ADHD. Equally, as I said to her Paed, I don't care at all if she 'gets' a diagnosis of ADHD or 'doesn't'.

Why?

Because, the most important thing for DD1 is that she is in the right school with the right staff and they respond to her not her 'labels'.

The travesty in this Country is that children need diagnoses to receive the right support. So many Counties treat the label not the child.

BTW, it is of completely no interest to me whether you 'see' anything in any of my posts. I don't need your validation to know that DD1 at the age of 6.4 (tomorrow) needs constant supervision due to the combination of her inattention,no sense of danger, unstable gait, and low impulse control.

I have 3 children, DD1 is the eldest. She requires the most supervision. I know what 'normal' children are like - I have two.

Good grief! Sorry to stir this up again, but oh my goodness...

I am compelled to comment and to say that research suggests that for example conduct disorder, has a genetic and environmental aetiology or underlying cause. I can well understand why some of you are jumping up and down here, because the amount of mis-information from apparent professionals is astounding!

There are areas of the brain, which in conduct disordered children and those with hyperactivity are not firing properly, or are underdeveloped. One of these areas is the amygdala and no definite reason is known as to why this is the case. It is different in adolescent onset Conduct disorder and life time persistent (which can be diagnosed from age three) the area in conduct disorder that deals with emotion and empathy is known as Brodmanns area, and can have lesions on it which impair function.

Many professionals in the field of diagnosing the many complex conditions that children can have, don't have a clue as to what they are doing. I find this disheartening, frustrating and worrying. It isn't about the diagnosis, it's about the support that a diagnosis can bring. I have a son who is over the worst of conduct disorder and didn't need rediagnosed at eighteen as having anti social personality disorder. I now foster a child who is undergoing assessments currently. It is not bad behaviour, it is not induced by bad parents (this is a factor in some cases) and it does not get 'cured'. The only medication which would be prescribed as a worse case scenario that I know of is lithium, to control violence. Ritalin for ADHD is now somewhat outdated as there are more recent medications.

I'm still astounded at some of the posts I've just read, but well done to those of you who don't take that crap lying down.