Is ADD/ADHD over diagnosed?

YES!

so many children are just being kids and the teachers are too quick to 'diagnose' ADD/ADHD and refuse to allow the children back in their classroom and the principals go along with them. it is kinda strange how it is 'diagnosed' more frequently in the communities that have the fewest resources and are 'supposed' to be less frequently diagnosed due to the lacks of resources. I.E. the african american, hispanic, and other ethnic communities. they are far more likely to attend a school that can't 'afford' basics like books and desks but they can diagnose a disorder that requires a medical degree and a specialization in psychiatry.

isn't it amazing?

it is more diagnosed in boys than girls, well considering the fact that boys are more likely to want to go outside and play active games, doesn't it make sense that they would be unlikely to sit still for up to 8 hrs at a time in a room and be talked to?

I agree. Parents are generally lazy in their parenting, many of them work and have little time to instruct and "parent" their children. When problems arise, they are quick to run to the pediatrician and complain about their child being ADD/ADHD, and the doctor will write a prescription. Parents would rather medicate (which is really taking a short cut) than invest their precious little free time to fulfill their responsibility as a parent. Doctors are at fault as well, as they should require formal testing before handing out prescriptions to these kids. We'll have to wait and see what effect all these medications have on these children once they reach adulthood, but I suspect it will not be good....and society as a whole will suffer dire consequences as a result.

Yes, and people don't look at possible causes of ADD/ADHD they just treat kids like they're a little bit retarded. These disorders can go away if a kid stops eating certain foods or starts eating others sometimes. They're very subtle and it's horrible that people label and thus limit themselves for life!

What Are the APA Characteristics of ADD? The American Psychiatric Association (1980) uses the following criteria for diagnosing ADD. Inattention (will exhibit at least three of the following): --often fails to finish things he or she starts --often seems not to listen --is easily distracted --has difficulty concentrating on schoolwork or other tasks requiring sustained attention --has difficulty sticking to a play activity Impulsivity (will exhibit at least three of the following): --often acts before thinking --shifts excessively from one activity to another --has difficulty organizing work (this not being due to cognitive impairment) --needs a lot of supervision --frequently calls out in class --has difficulty awaiting turn in games or group situations Hyperactivity--ADD may be diagnosed as with or without hyperactivity (if hyperactive, will show at least two of the following): --runs about or climbs on things excessively --has difficulty sitting still or fidgets excessively --has difficulty staying seated --moves about excessively during sleep --is always "on the go" or acts as if "driven by a motor" Onset before age 7. Duration of at least 6 months. Not due to schizophrenia, affective disorder, or a severe or profound mental retardation. When a child shows the appropriate criteria, the diagnosis of ADD will be given.

Yes. The diagnosis is largely dependent on the history. Patients or parents do not have to be highly sophisticated, only a little knowledgeable, to skew their responses to the evaluating physician's questions or to the Vanderbilt assessment scale questionnaire.

The physical exam is often normal, and the physician does not have time to observe the patient in the classroom setting.

Yes.

When you take a look at kids from poor neighborhoods - They tend to eat unhealthy foods: Twinkies, chocalates, ring-dings for breakfast.

The quantity of sugar intake gets them jumpy. Also, they drink plenty of OJ...

Just a side note: When a diabetic has hyperglycemia, OJ is the number one choice to bring up the blood glucose level...

So what happens is the doctor prescribes Ritalin, however, the children still have this unhealthy diet...Its a Catch 22

Whether it is overdiagnosed is actually a very subtle question. The reason is ADD medication "works" whether you have a problem or not.

Psychiatric diagnoses are meaningless unless they are seen as code for "this drug is most likely to help you" or "you are most likely to benefit from this class of drugs". In other words, if there isn't a drug for it, there isn't a "disorder".

I am not a psychiatist. I hate psychiatry. I have never taken any ADD medication.

I agree with you. Kids are being kids. Children dont have long attention spans and shouldnt be expected to. People are just taking th fun out of being a child.

I do agree that ADD/ADHD is overdiagnosed. A protocol should be in place to try and accuratly diagnose the child.

When Larry King asked Paris if she was on drugs she answered no, just adderall for her attention deficit.

But adderall is amphetamine, I don't see Paris carry around many books.

Larry should have caught that one, or was this an adderall commerical.