A recent article in Salon makes a good read and incisive point on ADHD. (read more here: http://www.salon.com/2014/03/01/the_truth_about_adhd_over_diagnosis_linked_to_cause_championed_by_michelle_rhee/)
ADHD diagnosis has increased over 40% in the last decade. The CDC now estimates that 12 percent of school age kids, and as many as 20% of teenage boys have been diagnosed with ADHD.
A new book, “The ADHD Explosion,“ by Stephen Hinshaw and Richard Scheffler points out that based on the most recent survey, from 2011, a child in Kentucky is three times as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD as a child in Nevada. And a child in Louisiana is five times as likely to take medication for ADHD as a child in Nevada.
TOP 5 STATES
The five states that have the highest rate of diagnoses — Kentucky, Arkansas, Louisiana, Indiana and North Carolina.
BOTTOM 5 STATES
Nevada, New Jersey, Colorado, Utah and California
BOOK’S SURPRISING FIND
What the team found was that high rates of ADHD diagnoses correlated closely with state laws that penalize schools when students fail.
TAKEAWAY:
Don’t be quick to label. Understand the subtle social pressure that may be influencing you. Seek alternatives before you put your child on brain altering drugs.
