Talk Cancer

Question:

Thanks to all of those who answered my last message.  It just seems that when we were children there weren’t any children on meds and now there seems to be an explosion of children on meds.  I was speaking to my child’s therapist who says that only one out of three persons is not add or adhd.  That means 2 out of every 3 persons sufhood and my makeup as an adult, I too am probably adhd.  (I’ve been told it’s genetic & my husband certainly isn’t)  I functioned very well without any medication.  My child has been described by the teachers as very bright with lots of potential.  They say that he is working high above his age level.  The only reason he needs medication is so that he can finish the mountain of paperwork (busywork) that needs to be completed everyday without bringing it home or doing it at recess.  I agree that there may be a disorder out there.  I am a special needs teacher.  I know better than to say otherwise.  But I wonder if we aren’t medicating some perfectly normal children just for being normal? — Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway. http://www.talkway.com

Response:

The talkaway program was having some errors and my last message seemed garbled.  Thanks to all of those who replied to my research request. What I was trying to say in my last message is that according to my son’s therapist is that 2 out of every 3 persons (not just kids) are ADD or ADHD. He said that many people don’t even realize that they have this syndrome. My question is, if the "norm" is ADD or ADHD, why are we medicating our children?  Shouldn’t we make the schools change to keep pace with the "average" kid? — Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway. http://www.talkway.com

Response:

I think your therapist was exaggerating.  Maybe he has it himself–ADHD tends to exaggerate quite well.

Response:

<<The only reason he needs medication is so that he can finish the mountain of paperwork (busywork) that needs to be completed everyday without bringing it home or doing it at recess.  I agree that there may be a disorder out there.  I am a special needs teacher.  I know better than to say otherwise.  But I wonder if we aren’t medicating some perfectly normal children just for being normal? I thought the mountains of paperwork were a thing of the past in classrooms. They are in Oregon.  I am wondering what state you are in that this is still regarded as a teaching method. As far as just how many people have ADHD, I am coming to the conclusion that it isn’t something you have or don’t have, but more of a sliding scale with only the people on the extreme high end needing medication.  I feel I am about halfway ADHD myself but did fairly well through school and function well in life.  My listening skills are poor and I get bored with thing pretty quickly, but I am good at organization so it all balances out.  My husband is also about halfway there.  Our son needs medication. I agree with you that there is something wrong if kids need to be medicated to keep up with mountains of paperwork, but I don’t think this is a problem with diagnosis but with the school.  No way are 2 out of 3 children in need of medication. BGraceFild

Response:

Thanks to all of those who answered my last message.  It just seems that when we were children there weren’t any children on meds and now there seems to be an explosion of children on meds.

When we were children there weren’t any children with AIDS, either. And children did not survive leukemia. And children didn’t get E. Coli from ground beef and die. Lots of things have changed; it doesn’t mean that something doesn’t exist today. One factor to consider is that ADD is more of a disability today than it was when we were kids, and as a result is treated more frequently. I was speaking to my child’s therapist who says that only one out of three persons is not add or adhd.

I strongly advise getting a new therapist.  This guy doesn’t have any contact with reality.   — Dave

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