My child is struggling 
Now that my child has 
Página 1 de 2
Public perceptions of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) are replete with myths, misconceptions, and misinformation about the nature, course, and treatment of the disorder.While barriers to treatment have been reduced in recent years, there is a climate of blame, shame, embarrassment, and stigma that discourages some from seeking help for debilitating mental health disorders, including AD/HD. There is compelling evidence that a large number of youths with a variety of mental disorders, including AD/HD, are not being served, are inadequately served, or are inappropriately served. Misinformation often demonizes those in need of treatment for AD/HD, and may discourage individuals from seeking appropriate care. Parents may avoid professional help because they are often accused of seeking to medicate overly playful, non-compliant, or mildly disruptive children. More likely, parents are struggling to help their children cope with a serious constellation of problems and are seeking help because previous attempts to reduce the impact of AD/HD have failed.
Myth #1: AD/HD Is Not a Real DisorderAccording to the National Institutes of Health, the Surgeon General of the United States, and an international community of clinical researchers, psychiatrists and physicians, there is general consensus that AD/HD is a valid disorder with severe, lifelong consequences. Studies over the past 100 years demonstrate that AD/HD is a chronic disorder that has a negative impact on virtually every aspect of daily social, emotional, academic and work functioning. It is a real disorder with serious consequences.
Myth #2: AD/HD Is a Disorder of ChildhoodLong-term studies show that anywhere from 70-80 percent of children with AD/HD exhibit significant signs of restlessness and distractibility into adolescence and young adulthood. Research estimates that 1.5 to 2 percent of adults have AD/HD, and between two and six percent of adolescents have AD/HD. AD/HD is a lifelong disorder that requires a developmental framework for appropriate diagnosis and treatment.
Myth #3: AD/HD Is Over-DiagnosedIt is difficult to find evidence that AD/HD is over-diagnosed or that stimulant medications are over-prescribed. Moreover, in some cases AD/HD may be undiagnosed and/or untreated. Rates vary depending on the rating scales employed, the criteria used to make a diagnosis, the use of cut-off scores, and changes in diagnostic criteria.
Changes in special education legislation in the early 1990s increased general awareness of AD/HD as a handicapping condition and provided the legal basis for the diagnosis and treatment of AD/HD in the school setting. These legal mandates have increased the number of school-based services available to children with AD/HD and may have inadvertently led some to conclude that AD/HD is a new disorder that is over-diagnosed.
Myth #4: Children with AD/HD Are Over-MedicatedAlthough there has been an increase in the rate of prescriptions for stimulants and an increase in the production of methylphenidate, "most researchers believe that much of the increased use of stimulants reflects better diagnosis and more effective treatment of a prevalent disorder." Others suggest that the changes may be a function of increased prescription rates for girls and teens with AD/HD. The percentage of children who receive medication of any kind is small. So while there has been an increase in the number of prescriptions, a relatively low overall rate of stimulant use is reported in school-aged children.
