Whats so bad about adhd? so what if the kid is a little jumpy. Isnt that what little kids do?

Ok, well what if you had an environment where there were no drugs, no shrinks, only about 300 kids. all of which somehow have mystically avoided having "ADHD" and "ADD" and all that and are doing very well in school, life, etc. This is my school. What then?

i believe there may be some mis-diagnosis and inappropriate medications given to some ADHD patients. However, there are some that DO need it.

True ADHD patients have serious learning difficulties because there mind is going in 10 different directions at once making it hard to learn and retain information.

Also, I have personally seen a boy, (my son), who would hit his head, pull off his own clothes could NEVER sit or stand in line - he was diagnosed with ADHD.

I do think and know that even in the most severe cases diet alone can help !and behavior modification techniques should be tried along with or before meds !!!

ADHD is more than just a kid being a little jumpy, that is normal for most kids. A true ADHD kid, not just a kid with ADD will be obvious in a class room they will be uncontrollable a lot of the time !

*If your school is free of any and all attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorders that's GREAT !!! Hopefully your right, because if there is even 1 out of that 300 that is struggling due to lack of proper diagnosis, they are getting a HUGE dis-service to their future learning potential.

hope this helps.?! : )

ADHD isn't just for little kids.A lot of adults&teens have ADHD as well.It's not just that they are jumpy,they can't focus on tasks&they have a harder time learning things that don't interest them.My brother is 18 years old,he has ADHD and he had a lot of trouble in school because he couldn't keep his mind focused on his work.The only things that he TRULY can focus on is anything to do with vehicles or playing the guitar,hunting,fishing&girls of course,lol...But back to the point,yes most kids are jumpy&hyper but ADHD affects not only the hyperness but it affects their schoolwork and things like that.

I have seen kids who are just hyper be labeled with ADHD and doped up, and it hasn't really seemed necessarily...but I've also met my sister, who was getting horrible grades in school and had no self-control. She was so impulsive and distractable she'd do things like jump of a second story balcony without thinking about it. Being treated for ADHD helped her succeed in school.

My cousin is 9 and is ADHD. He doesn't like it. He knows he is out of control and it embarrasses him. He likes being on his medication better. He says in school it is easier to understand what is going on and he doesn't get frustrated like he used to because he can concentrate. He also has an easier time making friends when he is less 'spastic'. Even on his medicine he is still active but his is more focused.

ridiculous nicholas -

I really like the second part of this questions when you ask "what if there were no drugs?"

As a child advocate and ADHD Coach, I really try to help parents see that medications are NOT always the answer. While they can be helpful (and even relieve symptoms), in many cases there can be other options. There are non-medication alternatives to helping our children.

If there were no medications - then schools would really need to get specialized in how teachers and other educators connect with children. People would need to have super-patience and be willing to try, try, try, and try some more before jumping to a conclusion.

For example, we KNOW that there are different learning styles and preferred learning styles. For me, I am a visual and kinesthetic learner. Sure - I can benefit from hearing things - but I do much better from taking notes and then getting my hands on a project. Simply listening to a lecture is incredibly boring.

So to answer your question - I always encourage parents and educators to identify learning styles in each child. From there you can start to understand how he or she learns. And from there so much is possible.

That one step might NOT necessarily resolve other "ADHD" type symptoms and behaviors - but it is a start.

And to be fair and balanced to the children and families I work with who really do benefit from medication - there are times when medication really is the answer. It's just the way the world turns.

Medications work - but they are not always the answer for every child or for every situation.

The "cure" is to try, try, try, and see what happens (all while considering safety of course).

Dr. Stern (call me Rory)
http://www.thetruthbehindadhd.com/tips.h...
http://www.askdrcerulli.com

my little sister has adhd.
its not just about being jumpy or hyper, its about concentration, attitude and health for starters.
its often hard to handle a child with ahdh because its like a normal kid on speed. i mean, its just a bad situation and to wonder why it is just means you should research it.

It is more then being jumpy but if a child has adhd that will affect the way they learn I have it and my mind goes ninty to nothing all the time and my focus is awlful I also have problems finishing a task and I start a bunch and leave them undone

little kids 90% of the time don't have ADHD.
ADHD isn't easily caught until the child is much older, basically high school age.
but yes, it is a big deal to children that truly cannot focus.

Agreed. I find BDFG an excuse to overmedicate children and teens. Supposedly they cannot sit still for 5 minutes or read a book past ten pages. Try telling that to legions of Harry Potter and LOTR fans.

ADD can be bad for people who have bad cases of it. Its bad that ADD is overdiagnosed with amphetamines that ruin your brain chemistry.

yes, it makes kids extra jumpy. but ADHD can also cause learning problems so it is important for kids with this disorder to seek treatment as soon as possible.