You’ve read articles about ADHD over diagnosis. Now get the facts. Of all the childhood disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the one that is most frequently over diagnosed. Not all high energy, easily distracted kids have this disorder. In this article, you’ll learn which symptoms doctors are looking for and how to treat your child if necessary or protect him from being labeled with a disorder that he does not have.
What Medical Experts Say About ADHD Over diagnosis
In recent years, there have been a variety of books written about the tendency for medical professionals to over diagnose Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The reason? Professionals use different what does adhd stand for methods to come to their conclusions. Some use tests, while others use checklists or scales.
In addition to using tests and/or scales, doctors are supposed to look for the following symptoms to help them make an accurate diagnosis:
- Hyperactivity – Kids who have ADHD may fidget and move excessively, while others are able to stay still. They seem irritable and agitated at times. While high energy kids are most at risk for being over diagnosed with ADHD, the fact that your child is hyperactive does not necessarily mean he has the disorder.
- Poor impulse control – The child may blurt out answers in class, even when asked repeatedly to raise his hand. He may interrupt others and be generally intrusive and unaware of others’ boundaries. This is the kid who acts without thinking and can endanger himself or others
- Poor attention span – This shows itself as trouble concentrating, especially with regard to the ability to take a task to its completion. This also means that your child may have trouble listening, so he can follow instructions. Of course, all kids have selective hearing and seem to have no difficulties paying attention to the things that they want to do, like watching TV shows or playing computer games.
From the list above, you can see how ADHD over diagnosis can be such a problem. Many of the symptoms are normal behaviors that you will see from time to time in every child. You may even recognize some of these symptoms in yourself. The key here is that kids with ADHD display these symptoms more often. But how often and who’s to judge? Being aware of this, can help you proceed carefully: you don’t want to fail to give your child treatment if it is necessary and will help him do better at home and in school, but you don’t want to medicate him if he does not need it.
A Solution to ADHD Over diagnosis
If your child is on the borderline and you’re concerned about giving him medications with all their troubling side effects, follow the lead of hundreds of thousands of parents and put your child on a natural remedy instead. These remedies suppress the symptoms of ADHD just like drugs, but do so without harmful side effects. Since they work by providing your child with the nutrients his brain needs to calm himself, increase focus, pay attention and stay on task, they actually get to the root of the disorder. Natural remedies are not habit-forming and will not drug your child into a stupor.