The Overdiagnosis of ADD/ADHD Essay

Analysis of parent-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2011–2013 found that 10% of children ages 4–17 years were diagnosed with ADHD (Pastor et al. 2015) Boys (13.3%) are twice more affected by ADHD than girls (5.6%)(Pastor et al. 2015). A similar study found that the prevalence rate of ADHD diagnosis increased from 7.0% in 1997–1999 to 10.2% in 2012–2014(ADHD General Prevalence. (2014).

First step to understanding this disorder is to understand how it is diagnosed and what criteria is required. There are 18 possible symptoms for ADHD that are divided into two categories, inattentive and hyperactivity/impulsive (Barkley 1997). In order to be diagnosed with ADHD an individual must show at least 6 symptoms in one category for 6 months (Barkley 1997). Depending on what category the symptoms were in the child would also be assigned to a subtype, either: predominantly inattentive or predominantly hyperactive/impulsive; but if the individual met criteria for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive then the child would be diagnoses with ADHD combined (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual 2013). Some of the symptoms that fall under the inattentive subtype are inability to stay focused on tasks (i.e. during lectures, conversations,

In this day and age, drugs are being prescribed without hesitation. In fact, many of these drugs are being prescribed for children with various disorders. One of these disorders is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). An estimated five to ten percent of children are diagnosed with this syndrome (Taylor 11). One of the methods to treat this disorder is to use stimulants, specifically Ritalin. This method is controversial because it has many side effects and its long-term effects are unknown. It can also lead to addiction. Approximately two to three percent of elementary school children are taking some kind of stimulant to treat ADHD (Taylor 64). Since so many children are taking this medication, new problems have arisen.

In addition to symptoms of ADHD being present by the age of seven the symptoms must affect the person’s life in a number of settings. In addition the symptoms have to not be explained by another mental disorder. If it only occurs alongside a psychotic mood disorder it is not considered ADHD. Inattention in ADHD is classified as making easily avoidable mistakes and ignoring details, usually do to not paying attention. It can happen in any number of settings( Surman, 2013). For example an accountant suffering from some of the innatention aspects of ADHD may not notice they forget to put a decimal point in a number resulting in a much higher number then shoud have been expected. The average adult may catch the mistake but someone someone with at least part of the innatetion aspect will likely move on without a thought in the world. Hyperactivity is demonstrated by inabiltiy to sit still and the need to get up from one's seat to move around. Impulsivity shows itself in a person's inabilty to resist acting on their urges. Usually the person will jump in front of others in a conversation. the person may at random pick up things and start messing with them. For a person to be diagnosised with ADHD a number of the DSM-IV-TR's critera must be met.

An older study conducted by Dr. Brian Reichow, adjunct professor at Yale University School of Medicine, and his colleagues discovered similar findings, “Methylphenidate, [a psychostimulant medication, was] effective for treating ADHD symptoms in children.”

ADHD has a laundry list of symptoms and effects that have to be considered in diagnosis

ADHD affects eight to ten percent of school aged children and - even though specialists cannot figure out why - boys are three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed (Kingsley, MD). Teachers are normally the first to see a difference since they can compare that child to other children in the class. Michigan State University states that sixty percent of children that are diagnosed with ADHD are one of the youngest in their class. They stand out more considering that they’re not as mature as their classmates. “Many ADHD diagnoses may be driven by teachers' perceptions of poor behavior among the youngest children in a kindergarten classroom," Paddock states. "But these 'symptoms' may merely reflect emotional or intellectual immaturity among the youngest students." (Paddock)

According to a study by the Centers for Control and Prevention of Diseases (CDC), published in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the percentage of children aged 4-17 years with a diagnosis of ADHD increased by 42 percent between 2003 and 2011. From 7.8 percent registered in 2003, the number of diagnoses became 11.0 percent in 2011, according to the report based on cases reported by parents. "The increase we have seen in the percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD by staff doctor is among non-Hispanic, and Hispanic (Warner,

Although so many kids are getting diagnosed with adhd; There is a 1 out of 5 percent of children who are being misdiagnosed with the disorder. Studies show that not all kids that are overly hyperactive, or can’t stand still have adhd. However some kids you can tell just from a glance right away, and others it may require a lot more work than what the human eye can see. The official definition of adhd is “ A chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness”. It is based on subjective criteria so you can’t just say you think your kid has adhd.

Attention Deficit with hyper activity Disorder commonly known as ADHD is classified as a disruptive behavior disorder usually diagnosed in childhood. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder of childhood. It appears to be more common in boys than it is girls. This Disorder is more common in boys than in girls and approximately five in one hundred children are affected (Busing). There are three subtypes: Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, predominantly inattentive, combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive (most children have the combined type of ADHD)(nimh.nih.gov).The age of onset of ADHD is usually in preschool to early elementary school years.

Children with ADHD are being medicated unnecessarily. The problem is there are no biological tests for the disorder, and it cannot be revealed through a blood test. ADHD should be the last resort for a diagnosis, but it is often the first choice. In many cases a child who is disruptive in class or

In classrooms today, there are many children who suffer from disorders such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (or ADHD/ADD.) While much is known about these disorders and how they affect the education of children, there are only a few known methods that consistently help an affected child focus and target in on what they need to learn. Medication for children With Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder must be used as an aid to help the affected child to focus and comprehend information being presented to them.

When you suspect your child of showing symptoms of ADHD the next step would be to get your child examined by his or her health care provider. Your child’s health care provider can diagnose ADHD using standard guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Diagnosing children involves gathering information from the parents, teachers, or anyone else

The child who is showing some symptoms of ADHD should get the proper diagnoses and the parents should bring their child to a specialist. First of all, the child would be seen by a pediatrician or a child psychologist. The specialist would gather information from everyone, the school, caregivers or parents. The health care provider will look over the information and compare it to the regular children of the same age group.

When diagnosing ADHD, there is no single test itself that can determine it. Deciding if a child has the disorder is a several step process, which requires the attention of different professionals as well as those surrounding the child on a daily basis. A pediatrician,