The ADD/ADHD Epidemic   by Jennifer Englade

According to statistics, the average percentage of those suffering from ADD/ADHD is roughly 3-5% of the population. Unknown, is the "real" figure as it has been shown to range anywhere from 1-20% or even higher. The reason for this is largely due to the fact that clinically, abnormal impairments may not in fact be abnormal for others. So, what is this "Diagnosis" or "Label" if you will, that is affecting what seems like a large percentage of our children as well as adults? What is ADD/ADHD?

Let me first say that ADD/ADHD is NOT a disease. Rather, it is a label for a collection of symptoms that cannot be explained. ADD is defined as Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD is defined as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The only difference between the two is the hyperactivity. Now, lets look at the symptoms often associated with the ADD/ADHD diagnosis. Common symptoms that are present in someone labeled as having ADD/ADHD are:

Inattentiveness, Short attention span, Hyperactivity, Doesn't seem to listen when spoken to directly, Makes careless mistakes, Does not follow through on tasks/activities, Has trouble organizing tasks/activities, Does not like to engage in activities requiring mental focus (ex. school work), Forgetful in daily activities. Often loses items needed to carry out a task/activity, Often easily distracted by external stimuli.

Now it is important when looking at the above list, that you recognize one important thing: Almost all kids will exhibit many or even all of these symptoms at some time or another. This doesn't mean that the child requires medication. Most of the time they are just being "kids", or have we forgotten what it was like to be a kid? I can tell you that as a child I had many if not all of these symptoms at one time or another, and I turned out just fine. How many children like doing schoolwork? How many children want to sit and listen to a teacher talk about History or English for 30 minutes or more?

It may seem easy to medicate a child to help with the above symptoms, but that doesn't mean it is right. Wouldn't you rather find out why the child is exhibiting these symptoms so that you can work on effectively solving the problem and helping them to be more productive in their daily lives? Let's look at an example so that you can see that medication isn't always the answer.

Ex. A person's check engine light comes on in the car. The light is annoying and so the person disconnects the wire thereby turning off the light. While the problem of an annoying light is now gone, the problem causing the light to come on was never found, so the person now faces possible problems that could "kill" their ride. Maybe the light was telling them they were low on oil, maybe there was an overheating problem, but now it's too late, the engine is shot and needs to be replaced.

Giving medication will mostly resulting in covering up the real problem. Maybe the child is hyperactive because of their sugar consumption. It doesn't take much sugar to make a child hyper. A typical day's meals for a child could be something like: Breakfast - Pop Tarts, Lunch - Soda, fries, burger, Dinner - Pizza, Soda, Ice Cream for dessert. Now what's wrong with that day's meals? Can we say - Way Too Much Sugar??? Do you understand what that does to your blood sugar? It can wreak havoc on an adult's blood sugar, let alone a child. But sugar isn't the only issue. We have too look at everything: Sugar, Preservatives, Sleeping Schedules, Napping Schedules, Home Life etc. Everything must be considered.

If you are a parent who thinks your child may have ADD/ADHD, I urge you to first look at everything in your child's daily life. Is your child just being a kid, or do you really believe that it's something else? I am not an advocate for Dr.'s; as a matter of fact I avoid them if at all possible. But I do urge you to speak to your physician if you have any questions. I'm not saying to jump right on their suggestion to medicate, but rather talk with them about ways that you can naturally help your child work through these issues. If it comes down to medicating your child, make sure that you discuss all risks and side effects with your physician. Your children need you. There is no one else to look after their well-being; it is up to you! You owe it to them to give them the best, after all, they didn't ask to be born, it was your decision to have them. And what a wonderful decision that was!

Note: Ritalin is the most common drug used to "treat" children with ADD/ADHD. The short term and long term side effects are alarming. Information about this drug is provided here: Ritalin

About the Author

Jennifer Englade is the owner of Secretary 2 Go and provides writing services to businesses and individuals alike. www.secretary2go.com

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