I was a teacher and school principal for 17 years before I became a licensed psychologist.  After that I continued to teach college level courses, give workshops, and seminars.  I'm not pointing fingers here -- just commenting from my experience about what needs to change.

We have an "assembly line" system for our schools -- and apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so.  Sir Ken Robinson brings it to light in this video condensed from one of his longer talks.  If you can't watch the whole 5 minute video -- at least watch from minute 3:35 to the end.



The assembly line system is partially accountable for the false epidemic of ADHD.  Yes, some kids have attention difficulties, but maybe they just need a little more time for their brain to develop.  But consider these facts: THE READ MORE LINK GOES HERE.

Read more...

Society has mistakenly come to believe that there is one cause of attention difficulties (ADHD) and one treatment (stimulant medication).  We believe this because the pharmaceutical industry has good marketing.  Actually, there are over 59 causes of attention difficutlies - we call them the ADHD Imitators (see the link for the list).

In order to improve attention difficulties we need to know which of the 59 causes are impacting you or your child.

There are many interventions that are proven to help attention  ADHD symptoms.  Here is a list of evidence-based child and adolescent psychosocial interventions published in 2010 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.There are many more effective interventions -- all supported by research -- which I'll share in a future article.

We live in an instantaneous society.  Fast food, instant downloads, 24-hour shopping, overnight delivery.  We expect things now - or sooner.

Unfortunately (for our children) the brain still grows at about the same rate it has for thousands of years.  The frontal lobes are not completely developed until around age 25!  (The frontal lobes are where 'executive functioning' happens and helps us to be 'less impulsive'.)

The symptoms of ADHD are normal development for 3- to  6-year-olds.  We make a mistake by labeling kids with normal development as having ADHD (which apparently is happening as you can see in my article ADHD is overdiagnosed).

I do not agree with everything supported by CCHR, but their video below sure makes the point.



While there are many children who need help with attention difficulties -- mislabeling them as having ADHD will not help. Dr. Allen Frances was the chair of the task force that created the current DSM-IV (the manual used in US for mental health diagnosis). He states:

I learned from painful experience how small changes in the definition of mental disorders can create huge, unintended consequences. Our panel tried hard to be conservative and careful but inadvertently contributed to three false "epidemics" -- attention deficit disorder, autism and childhood bipolar disorder. Clearly, our net was cast too wide and captured many "patients" who might have been far better off never entering the mental health system.

57% statistic is from the Greater Smokey Mountain Study found in Facts, values, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): an update on the controversies.  There are many clinical studies that put the rate even higher.  A 2012 German study confirmed the trend of overdiagnosis and articles like this make it more readable.

It's appalling.  Most studies for the effectiveness of ADHD medication are conducted for only 3 or 4 weeks.  But some kids take the medication for 15 years!

And the news gets even worse.

Long-term research funded by the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) shows that medication for ADHD makes things worse.

Looking at 3 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded studies:

• the original MTA (also read about it below),
• a 3-year follow-up, and
• an 8-year follow-up.

In the 3-year follow-up they state: "participants using medication ... actually showed increased symptomatology during that interval relative to those not taking medication." From 2 to 3 years, medication made things worse.

In the 8-year follow-up, medication use was "associated with worse hyperactivity-impulsivity and ODD symptoms and CIS impairment." (CIS is a tool for rating impairment).  After 6 years, those using medication were worse.

So, medication makes things worse.  Maybe we should stop pushing it.  After all, there are many other treatments and interventions that work well.

I've been asked, “Which Anti-bullying program should we use?” You might not like my answer, because there is no quick fix to dealing with bullying.


Summarizing my previous articles, I mentioned that bullying continues because school atmosphere encourages it. Each school takes on the personality of adult leaders. If even mild bullying goes unchallenged among staff members, it is unlikely that any program will stop student bullying. To stop bullying we need to realize that shaping student attitudes is part of a teacher's job.


That being said, there are many good anti-bullying programs available. I encourage you to adapt one that fits with your philosophy and beliefs.

When looking at philosophy and beliefs, I'd encourage you to consider the following:

1. Do what you do best, teach. We teach as much by the content of our character as we do by the content of our curriculum. Make sure that there is a district and/or building philosophy that supports respect for each person—staff-to-staff first. Be a person of character. Challenge each staff person to be a person of character.
2. We don't have “anti-illiteracy programs” in our schools. What we do is teach kids to read. Likewise, instead of an anti-bullying program, let's teach kids peaceful and respectful attitudes and behaviors. It has a whole different feel than anti-bullying.
3. Following the Reading analogy, we don't find the best “vowel program” for all kids. Learning vowels is part of the reading curriculum. Those that have difficulty with vowels, get special help as needed. Likewise, some kids won't “get it” by the respectful atmosphere and positive behavior approach alone. Anti-bullying specifics can be implemented for those students.
4. Schools have too many stand-alone programs. Adding anti-bullying to the long list of programs makes us look good, but runs the risk of being ineffective. Anti-bullying should be “nested” within a total initiative of respectful interactions. First start with respectful workplace policies for staff, followed by school culture and positive intervention strategies, then character education initiatives, and finally anti-bullying specific interventions.
5. Programs don't teach kids, people do.

That sounds like a lot more work that just picking one of the top anti-bullying programs. I agree that the process of coordinating all the components above will be a lot of work. I think it boils down to whether you want to be efficient or effective.

Every now and then I come across an article I wish I had written.  This one is The Business of ADHD by Child Psychiatrist Winston Chung, MD.  If I had written it, I would have titled it ADHD Greed.

Three highlights are:

    * The American Psychiatric Association is considering lowering the number of symptoms needed for an ADHD diagnosis from 6 to 4.  This is alarming because we already medicate 57% of children who don't meet the current criterion.  Lowering the number of symptoms needed will surely increase the number of children wrongfully receiving unneeded medication.  Woops, I forgot.  It's about profits.

    * Researchers promise pharmaceutical companies results that would benefit the drug company -- before they conduct the study!

    * Allen Frances, MD, Chair of the Task Force that created the current diagnostic criteria for ADHD (and other disorders) laments that his group "inadvertently contributed to three false 'epidemics' - attention deficit disorder, autism and childhood bipolar disorder. Clearly, our net was cast too wide and captured many 'patients' who might have been far better off never entering the mental health system."

For years I have been critical of these three "epidemics" which I call "diagnosis du jour".