State-based Prevalence Data of ADHD Diagnosis (2011-2012): Children CURRENTLY diagnosed with ADHD (Centers for Disease Control)
Posted on 07/11/2014 2:15:56 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
The Centers for Disease Control tells us that in recent years there has been a jump in the percentage of young people diagnosed with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD: 7.8 percent in 2003 to 9.5 percent in 2007 and to 11 percent in 2011. The reasons for the rise are multiple, and include changes in diagnostic criteria, medication treatment and more awareness of the condition. In the following post, Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of TimberNook, a nature-based development program designed to foster creativity and independent play outdoors in New England, suggests yet another reason more children are being diagnosed with ADHD, whether or not they really have it: the amount of time kids are forced to sit while they are in school.
A perfect stranger pours her heart out to me over the phone. She complains that her 6-year-old son is unable to sit still in the classroom. The school wants to test him for ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder). This sounds familiar, I think to myself. As a pediatric occupational therapist, I’ve noticed that this is a fairly common problem today.
The mother goes on to explain how her son comes home every day with a yellow smiley face. The rest of his class goes home with green smiley faces for good behavior. Every day this child is reminded that his behavior is unacceptable, simply because he can’t sit still for long periods of time.
The mother starts crying. “He is starting to say things like, ‘I hate myself’ and ‘I’m no good at anything.’” This young boy’s self-esteem is plummeting all because he needs to move more often.
Over the past decade, more and more children are being coded as having attention issues and possibly ADHD...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
State-based Prevalence Data of ADHD Diagnosis (2011-2012): Children CURRENTLY diagnosed with ADHD (Centers for Disease Control)
Well, there you have it...gambling prevents ADHD
Kids were exactly the same when I was in school in the 1960’s. But the teacher had something that made us focus and sit. It wasn’t a drug. It was just a stick of wood. Usually it had printed on it, “The Board Of Education.” Frequently, it had holes which whistled...I still remember the tune.
The problem is that the system is designed to “administer” education. When it takes that approach, the system tells the student when the lesson is done. The alternative is to
“present” education. The difference being is that the student has a limited attention span and can only absorb what is presented during that attention span.
Instead of hour long lecture sessions, there needs to be changes to make the material interesting. 15 min of lecture, 15 min of class activity to demonstrate, etc.
One reason they can’t sit still is because they never play outside. They don’t spend time running, climbing trees, riding their bikes, playing games they organize themselves. In other words, they have a lot of pent up energy that never gets spent.
Used to be known as “ants in your pants.” If it became distracting, the teacher made you sit on your hands. I still do that from time to time.
When I was in school, we had large classes (at least 40) and several recesses per day. There was morning recess where we played organized games. Then there was lunch recess where we spent part of the time eating (or going home for lunch) and the remainder of the time playing games which we organized ourselves witha teacher watching so we didn’t kill each other. Then there was afternoon recess.
Nobody got out of line in, or out, of class. There was a little boy/girl teasing, but that was it.
There were ample playgrounds, gym space, shops and music rooms where students used up energy. The ceilings were high, the windows were large, could be opened and filled a full wall of the classroom. The lights weren't flourescent. Those rooms had corners with puzzles, chairs to sit and read, spaces to unwind. The hallways were wide, so the classrooms were separate entities where children could thrive.
The new schools are like prisons with the rooms being locked cells. Of course that matters. FWIW, it seems that well-run "old" schools (that they're still tearing down) have better natured children.
It's amazing how much difference extra time in the gym or outdoor recess after lunch can make. Instead, the ptb have imprisoned kids in unnatural environments and then drugged them to cope.
This sounds like so much crap.
Except for one thing.
Sixty years ago, we had to sit in a disciplined way through out the school day. After school we could run around all we wanted.
You see, there was limited TV, no video games, and if we pestered Mom she’d run us out of the house with the admonition ‘You children go outside! I’ve work to do!’.
We got lots of play time 60 years ago.
What we didn’t dare do was be a nuisance or a distraction in the classroom. If you didn’t get a paddling from the principle you’d certainly get a taste of the belt when you went home.
My parents although not Dr s cured that problem in their three children.
Kids were exactly the same when I was in school in the 1960’s...
I was going to say the same thing. In the 60s you sat still and didn’t talk, or else and that seemed to do the trick.
We had a 15 minute recess in the morning and afternoon and an hour at lunch to burn off the energy. Rainy days were hell for teachers. LOL. I guess they stopped doing recess.
Actually, gambling is an addiction, and addictions have a fairly high correlation with ADHD.
As for the lack of physical coordination, I’d throw in that the teachers’ unions and lawyers/judiciary have more to do with both lack of exercise and absolute boredom in the curriculum.
Maybe (?) it’s just too BOOOORRRING!
Where are the two (2) periods of recess for the kids????
Yeah, the classroom experience is so bad you have to drug the inmates to make it tolerable.
Yup, sounds like modern education to me.
Same here at elementary school. On rainy or snowy days recess was in the assembly room, otherwise it was coats and hats and outside you go. Oh, and we didn’t have school buses, we walked. Buses were for special field trips.
ever wonder why it's almost always boys that are diagnosed with it? before ADHD, there used to be a thing called recess... but we can't let boys be boys anymore, can we???
Their diet
For those of us with children who truly are ADHD, please don’t insist that we don’t discipline our children. It has nothing to do with that. For some of the cases, maybe, but not for true ADHD cases. We’ve rejected drugs and have opted for dietary and therapeutic treatments. I now that a traditional school is probably not the best option so we are prepared to homeschool if/when necessary. If you think discipline is the answer, then please take that miracle cure to a cancer treatment center and paddle the patients until their bodies rid themselves of cancer.
We look at our son’s ADHD as a blessing. Like many with the issue, he has a much higher IQ. It’s fascinating to watch him learn, and to discover how he learns. His unconventional ways are astounding yet extremely effective.
Are some ADHD cases really misdiagnoses so that parents and teachers can get an easy med fix? Yes. But that is not the case for all of us.
One of the differences is that when I was in school, our teacher supervised us for everything. There were no “aides” that came in to help. The teacher was always watching — she even ate lunch with us. So, there was no pulling the wool over her eyes. And there was plenty of opportunity to run off steam and plenty of opportunity to organize our own games — something that little league, etc. does not allow.
On rainy days (which were few and far between in CA) we had Folk Dancing.
When we got to 7th grade and above, we had an hour of PE daily. I don’t think the kids get that much any more. I hated PE — except for dance == because I never made good grades. But, it was necessary.
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