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.

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.

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.

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".