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ADHD article in SALON

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.


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THE HIDDEN POWER OF A DIAGNOSIS

Can a “word” bias your parenting?

 

If I tell you that one properly placed word can change the way you view your child’s ailment, you will probably pooh-pooh it. But that is exactly what happens when you meet your doctor.

 

In a recent findings in Pediatrics, Scherer and her colleagues published that a physician’s choice of words can have a significant impact on parental decision-making.

 

The Research:

Between 2011 and 2012, researchers surveyed 175 parents (average age ~ 35) in two setting:

– a pediatric clinic waiting room

– an examination room.

Most participants were mothers and described as highly educated.

The average age of their kids were 4.5 years.

About one-fifth of these children had been previously diagnosed with GERD.

 

The Result:

Those parents who were given a “GERD” diagnosis ended up being interested in treating their infant with drugs despite being specifically cautioned that drugs wouldn’t work. Those without the specific diagnosis name, were not.

 

So What?

The study highlights the powerful impact that a physician’s choice of words can have on parental decision-making, while emphasizing the importance of good doctor-patient/parent communication.

 

So, next time you walk into a physician’s office, remember this hidden bias that might force you to put your child on unnecessary chemicals.