A new study finds that the rise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is not a uniquely American phenomenon. In Germany, for instance, 2.2% of kids were treated for hyperkinetic disorder (roughly speaking, the European equivalent of ADHD) in 2007; that's an increase of 53% for boys and 69% for girls since 2000. Treatment among older kids, those 15 to 18, doubled during the same period.
In the U.S., nearly 3% of kids now takes a stimulant like Ritalin; the figure is now 2.4% in Australia and 2.5% in Israel. More than 7% of the 10-year-old boys in Iceland take the drug. The new study points out that while Ritalin works best only in conjunction with psychotherapy, many if not most children get the drug without cognitive-behavioral supports. (More on Time.com: A Five-Minute Brain Scan Tracks Kids' Development and May Spot Disorders)
The rise in ADHD diagnoses among kids indicates one of two things: either children are more fidgety and less able to focus these days, or parents and doctors have become less patient with the squirms and jiggles of childhood. Probably both things are true: there's more to distract kids today, all those Xboxes and kids' channels. And parents have a solution to fidgety children not open to their grandparents: diagnose them with ADHD and treat them with Ritalin.
But as I pointed out last year in an article about ADHD research at the University of Central Florida (UCF), acting hyperkinetic — playing with your hair, wriggling in your seat — is not always a sign that a child is distracted and not learning. According to psychologist Mark Rapport of UCF, squirming and fidgeting can be a way children maintain their cortical arousal — especially their working memory — when faced with a dull task. Rapport has found that kids with ADHD who are told to sit still perform worse on tests than those allowed to move around naturally. (More on Time.com: Study: ADHD Checklist Too Easy to Fake)
In other words, constant fidgeting may not be a disease that needs a medication. It might just be a sign, around the globe, of the condition known as childhood.
More on Time.com:
Attention-Deficit Diagnosis Depends on Kids' Birthdays, Study Shows
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"no medical or scientific tests to determine" Not yet, but I'm betting they're closing in. http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/news/20031204/brain-scans-reveal-adhd-differences
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18081165
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18580852
No it's not just America, this is a global epidemic and it's a fraud, no medical or scientic tests to determine.
In other words, constant fidgeting may not be a disease that needs a medication
"...either children are more fidgety and less able to focus these days, or parents and doctors have become less patient with the squirms and jiggles of childhood." If we're going to have a discussion, let's start with a better premise. These are clearly not the only two explanations for the rise in ADHD diagnosis, or stimulant use. The condition is better understood for one thing. When parents and teachers understand that there is a disorder, they push to help the child instead of the old fashioned knuckle rapping and social humiliation of sitting in the corner, wearing a dunce cap, spanking, switches and other good 'old days solutions -- The author is SO right! The patience they had! My-my... Furthermore, ADHD is now widely recognized that the condition presents itself differently in girls, and thus more girls are being diagnosed and receiving the help that they need. There have been recent studies suggesting an influence of pesticides and other environmental hazards on the risk of developing ADHD. Not to mention those who may have the genetic predisposition towards Dopamine receptors that just aren't quite doing their job, among other suspected biological causes. I find the author's assertions insulting. I struggle with it. My child struggles with it. We do not take any form of treatment lightly, I assure you. What I wouldn't give for it all just to be a case of FIDGETING! So, let's start with a valid premise, then we'll talk.
Why is it we medicalize normal childhood behavior? John Cloud is correct, we have less tolerance and more distractions. Of that, there is no doubt.
I'm a former elementary school principal. I sought out solutions for my students. We implemented cognitive and behavioral solutions for our students (Play Attention www.playattention.com and ADHD Nanny www.adhdnanny.com). We got great results with our students. Both the teachers and the parents were happy.
It's not an easy road, but we must be advocates for kids. Find their strengths, teach to those strengths, and not just pigeon hole them because it's easier. The squeaky wheel often gets the grease, but let's use the right grease!
MOVE & THINK! Kids with ADHD told to sit still perform worse on tests than those allowed to move around naturally
Got patience?
That answer is:
Probably not.
Children have always fidgeted and always will.
The industrial way in which schools work places children into places that they may not fit. If a child has troubles with attention, impulse control and hyperactivity then the classroom with make those problems more pronounced.
Distractions or not, teaching our kids to deal with there difficult symptoms will alleviate much of the stress.
Teaching or teachers and parents how to deal with these difficulties too will alleviate another huge activator of this problem.
How do I know?
I have had ADHD for 25 plus years. As a child and as an adult. I wrote all about it on my personal website. Wanna know what makes that ADHD child tick?
check out what it was like for me here:
http://www.adhdaction.com/adhd-child.html
I figured it out,
you can too.
ADHD and the Use of Ritalin Have Exploded:
Remember that ADHD isn't just about fidgeting. The inattentiveness that comes along with it can be as much of a challenge as any fidgeting. ADHD can present a challenge when learning and should always be fully evaluated by a qualified medical professional.
Laura, you make a good point. But remember that "inattentiveness" is often diagnosed by behavioral cues like fidgeting. As Rapport's research shows, fidgeting can in fact be a sign that kids are trying to engage, not disengage.
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Kids?: By John Cloud Wednesday, September 22, 2010 | 0 comments..
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Kids?: By John Cloud Wednesday, September 22, 2010 | 0 comments..
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Kids? #ADHD
RT @PeterBrow
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Kids?
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Kids?
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
ADHD: A Global Epidemic or Just a Bunch of Fidgety Ki
How about the adult version? - http://amzn.to/98qSRo RT @TIMEHealt