Overdiagnosis and Overprescribing ADHD Diagnosed and treated with medication Diagnosed, but should seek other alternatives ADHD does not actually exist Photo credit: Corbis

One of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity. -National institute of Mental Health

Inattentive presentation: -Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes. -Has difficulty sustaining attention. -Does not appear to listen. -Struggles to follow through on instructions. -Has difficulty with organization. -Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring a lot of thinking. -Loses things. -Is easily distracted. -Is forgetful in daily activities. Hyperactive-impulsive presentation: Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair. Has difficulty remaining seated. Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults. Difficulty engaging in activities quietly. Acts as if driven by a motor; adults will often feel inside like they were driven by a motor. Talks excessively. Blurts out answers before questions have been completed. Difficulty waiting or taking turns. Interrupts or intrudes upon others -Provided by the DSM V

Stakeholders Pharmaceutical companies Children Caregivers Psychologists

Proper diagnosis, need medications to treat ADHD symptoms Reduces symptoms of hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity in children and adults Majority of children benefit from these medications and have mild side effects In addition to medications, other steps must be taken to show positive results

ConsumerReports.org

Diagnosed and seeking other alternatives without medication Psychotherapy (Behavioral intervention) Set schedule, organization Clarity and consistency Care givers, give praise and rewards

“ADHD does not actually exist” “I require a full evaluation to find the source of the problem. Usually, once the original condition is found and treated, the ADHD symptoms go away.” - Dr. Richard Saul

Inattentive presentation: -Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes. -Has difficulty sustaining attention. -Does not appear to listen. -Struggles to follow through on instructions. -Has difficulty with organization. -Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring a lot of thinking. - Loses things. -Is easily distracted. -Is forgetful in daily activities. Hyperactive-impulsive presentation: -Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair. -Has difficulty remaining seated. -Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults. -Difficulty engaging in activities quietly. -Acts as if driven by a motor; adults will often feel inside like they were driven by a motor. - Talks excessively. -Blurts out answers before questions have been completed. -Difficulty waiting or taking turns. Interrupts or intrudes upon others

Works Cited Consumer Reports. “The pros and cons of treating ADHD with drugs.” Consumer reports.org, June Web. 17 April Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, M.A., Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., and Damon Ramsey,MD. Help Guide Organization, February Web. 17 April National Institute of Mental Health. NIMH. May Web. 18 April Saul, Richard. Time.“Doctor: ADHD Does Not Exist.” Harper Collins, 14 March Web. 17 April Dopfner, Manfred, Rothenberger, Aribert. “Behavior therapy in tic-disorders with co-existing ADHD.” European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 2 June Web. 23 April Kieling, Christan, Polanczyk, Guilherme V., Rohde, Luis A., Salum, Giovanni A. “ADHD prevalence estimates across three decades:an updated systematic review and met-regression analysis.” International Journal of Epidemiology. 21 November Web. 21 April National Institute of Health. “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).” National Institute of Mental Health. Web. 16 April Pajo, Bora, Stuart, Paul H. “A comparative review of “how to” books for parents of ADHD children and “how to” books for parents of typical children.” Science Direct. April Web. 25 April 2014 Ramsey, Damon, Robinson, Lawerence, Segal, Jeanne, Smith, Melinda. “ADD/ADHD Medications” Helpguide.org. February Web. 17 April Saul, Richard. “ADHD Does Not Exist.” New Republic. 14 February Harper Collins. Web. 17 April “The Pros and Cons of Treating ADHD with drugs.” Consumer Reports Web. 21 April 2014.