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Website Review: www.ADHDScam.com

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Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is quite easily the most common and over-diagnosed problem for youth in the United States. With symptoms that include fidgeting, talking too much, and impulsiveness how can it not be? Of course, according to the American Psychiatric Association, the child needs to display at least six or more of the 16 different symptoms attributed to this disorder for at least six months before a diagnosis should be made. However, there is a little known fact that brings the increasing amount of youth diagnosed with ADHD into question; schools get federal money for each child that is diagnosed with a mental or learning disorder, including ADHD. This can lead to teachers, or other school officials, taking advantage to get more money for the school. The father of a boy, who was being unfairly targeted by his school, decided to create a website to inform other parents about the scam surrounding school officials telling parents their children may have ADHD and need to be put on medication to control the symptoms. The author and webmaster of the site, Forest Cunningham Sr., created his website, www.ADHDScam.com, in 2009, after the failed attempt by his son’s school to diagnose Forest Jr. with ADHD. The boy went through the first six months of school without any mention of problems, and he was earning straight A’s. Then, one day, he was sent home with a note stating he was being disruptive and needed to be separated from the rest of the class

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