Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Twice Exceptional Pearson presentation TODAY: outing ADHD fakers

glad to hear he has made progress without meds. Maybe there is hope and it's evidence that many kids eventually outgrow it, or at least develop coping methods. If we ever come to the point where DD doesn't seem to need meds in order to function, then we would obviously stop.

My DS9 wasn't either at 7 without constant nagging and micro managing, but now at 9 he's fantastic at managing his morning routine.

BUT... how did I know he would be? I had no crystal ball (wouldn't that be nice )

I didn't know... which is what makes this so hard for all of us. My decision to skip meds for him was based mostly on maternal instinct.

I firmly believe that (providing we're invested and emotionally connected parents) we all make the best decisions for our own kids, based on our knowledge of said kids combined with our own self awareness and past experiences.

The best thing parents can do for our children in cases like these is listen to the child and follow our own inner voice. There will always be critics and naysayers no matter what you decide.

I was told by a psychiatrist who specializes in ADHD that he has problems with parents seeking diagnoses where there really are none in order to get meds to improve their kids' grades. He also told me that there are adults who don't actually have the disorder who try to manipulate the system to get meds so they can function better at work (he specifically referred to "CEO's" and similar high ranking business people). This doc is nearing retirement and has seen this go on for many years.

I find that so chilling. Seriously.

Yeah... it bugged me quite a bit. I felt like quite the outlier. The doc said that I was "highly unusual" not wanting to medicate because he spends most of his time trying to talk parents (of the non-ADHDers or only mildly affected kids) out of it. My DS, meanwhile, has a combined type diagnosis that was initially described as "severe," so this doc was trying to talk me into it. It was a weird appointment. It was at our provincial children's hospital ADHD clinic, which I'd heard fantastic things about. I left not wanting to return.

Though I agree with most of what you've written on this thread, I have to disagree here. I haven't always made the best decisions regarding my kids. I make mistakes. Everyone does. And I think that being a parent who loves her kids and is invested in them doesn't mean that all my decisions are above reproach.

I agree that there will always be critics and naysayers, which is why I try to find evidence to support my decisions rather than relying only on an inner voice (which is often emotional rather than rational). If someone criticizes one of my actions and has reasonable evidence (rather than emotion), I try to listen. I have to overcome my initial negative feelings, but if the person is making reasonable points, I overcome them and listen.

Drugs that affect brain chemistry can be dangerous, especially to a developing mind . Here's a review about amphetamines. It's got plenty to say about neurotoxicity and also notes that questions about it haven't been adequately addressed. While sitting here on hold for a while, I've found that amphetamines damage brains. What I haven't found is a solid body of evidence defining how much, for how long, and in whom. Is it genes? Is it age? Both? Something else? No one knows. IMO, this is a bright light flashing BE CAREFUL in very big letters.

I'm not commenting on individual cases here because I don't know anything about the kids who've been discussed in this thread.

What I am saying is that US society's expectations of children have changed in the last 30 years, and that many changes expect too much of kids. This includes the lunacy of reduced recess and over-emphasis on standardized tests. IMO (and I'm far from alone here), it's far more likely that we're pathologizing normal childhood development rather than facing a sudden epidemic of ADHD.

CNN - when I say she can't dress herself I mean that I physically have to do it myself, usually after 10-15 minutes of trying to get her into doing it herself. And she's harder to dress than my 3 yr old because she doesn't pay enough attention to assist the process. She could dress herself perfectly at 2, when getting dressed was exciting, undies on the right way, zippers... It's not that she has motor or direction problems, it's attention.

I would consider that fairly normal. Getting dressed is just not very interesting.

But drugs are great if you need them but shouldn't be abused for non-medical reasons.

We have a somewhat more restrictive system. Being surrounded by water and having basically only one jurisdiction makes it harder to get stuff illicitly (not impossible as there are always ways to get around things) but it would require a lot of effort to get it through legal channels and most students are poor.

I don't think having to physically dress one's 7yo is normal, FWIW.

Having to remind them a few times, yes.

I have known several kids who were blatantly, obviously ADHD. DD had one in her K class who took about 40% of the teacher's time every day (he desperately needed an aide, but the school was a charter and everyone was in denial). I have known several where I thought--okay, yeah. I have known a LOT where the parents were going--could it be? And the teachers were saying--we feel there MAY be an issue...and everyone was going around in circles. None of these people have put their kids on meds because I run in very anti-med circles, but they've all at least considered it. Category 3 is very concerning to me, and it has included not only my child but the children of about 30-40% of my circle of friends, which seems WAY off. Just--how can that be?