I am so glad I was brought up in an era where medications were not the answer , they didn't have that option when I was young. If i had been grown up later , i would have been medicationed and diagnosed with ADHD. Numbed at the brain because I found most education too slow for my understanding. Not trying to brag , but some learn faster than others. I used to regularly fall asleep in my algebra class. It was boring learning at the speed of most students. A lot of people have problems with higher math. The teacher used to wake me on a regular basis to answer a question on the board. I would rattle off a correct answer like it was nothing , because it was for me. She got mad at me because she said if I applied myself I could easily been an A+ student. I had no aptitude for excelling was not in the cards for me because my parents could not afford college and didn't need to excel. I ended up taking Algebra II , calculus , probability and statistics. Good in math , but has not helped me out in real life that much.

There is a big push in modern education to label some as learning disabled. Check a box they fit in (ADHD , etc ) and the school district gets more federal/state funds.

Follow the money , that is where the real problem lives. Check more boxes , get more money.

Way too many kids are being medicated because the teachers cannot teach students who grasp the knowledge quickly while others struggle with it. Fact.

Plus a lot of these kids who are medicated end up being school shooters. Fact. Instead of GOOD parenting/teaching they are numbed to the fact where no one is paying attention and the drugs or coming down from the drugs makes them psychotic. Fact. Look it up , you will find it is true.

When I was a kid tv shows were pretty limited. Daytime tv did not interest kids at all. Mostly soap operas till about 330. Saturday mornings were cartoons and Sunday was church programs all day till a football or baseball game on. Nobody had computers except NASA. They talked about it some when they first walked on the moon. When kids were not in school they were either working or playing outside. Hot cold rain snow didn't matter much. Kids were outside. Like Boco said retarded kids didn't go to public school at all. Kids with learning problems went to remedial education. This drugging of kids instead of taking away tv and computers then sending them outside to work and play is not good. Even play, when tv and computers are not involved, helps kids brains develop. Its the lack of mental stimulation that is the problem. We had kids that didnt pay attention, back talk, fidget, talk instead of do school work too. You would be surprised how much of that gets cured when the teacher grabs a kid by the ear, pulls him/her out of the chair, and whacks their bottom a few times with a ruler. By the time they are out of grade school they have much better self control. Yes some of those kids do end up in prison. Just like today. A lot less though end up in court when a little self discipline and respect is taught in the first few years of school.

My pup had it till she turned about 3 now she's all business I'm really glad I didn't poke /medicine drugs down her throat. That's all I have to say bout that.

Good parenting. Period.

Nothing else to say , except GOOD parenting.

Yeah it real . I have it . Ask anyone who's been around me for any amount of time and they will tell you I can't just sit down or stay in one place . Like I cannot for the life of me understand how people can just sit and stare at a TV all day because I physically cannot. Like if I'm not doing something with my hands or something it drives me nuts. That's why I'm always braiding ,welding, modifying net making or something,I get extremely bored and agitated just sitting around. And I can't tell you how many times I heard so old fart talking about " you just did get whooped enough did ya " granddad used to try and beat it ( litterly ) out of me and it never helped. The meds they used to have me on didn't help either really just doped me up to where I didn't wanna do much .

What I'm seeing with alot of folks is that they don't wanna be bothered with their kids having that kinda energy, they just want their kids to shut up and sit in front of the TV and be quite. And trying to let them go out side or something is a foreign concept. So they basically as the doc for something to "calm their kid down"

Its real but most that claim to have it dont, my oldest son had it mildly could work through episodes with varying methods and spanking didn't really work but did at times. My granddaughter has a pretty bad issue with it spanking works a little but the best for her is knowing that she has it and changing your tactics to help her be successful.

Her teacher last year fought her dailey about fidget ing at her desk and paying attention during class it was a struggle for everyone. This year her teacher tried a different approach and set up an area for her to use while doing assignments away from the others off in a corner of the room. If she feels restless she uses this area it used to have a desk but she sets up on the floor. She went from being fidget ing and disruptive to one of the top students in her class. No more fighting over wiggling around messy desks and not paying attention. She has the cleanest desk and area because she knows this is a privilege. And she uses it a little less each month.

Im not defending bad parenting my daughter has 8 and several have behavioral issues from before she adopted the ( she adopts the last 3 in a week) but none of them act out in public or run around like wild demons. So it can be handled but remember most of these kids with issues have parents that got participation trophies growing up and still need safe spaces

Seen a guys kid at bowling years ago he rocked a chair back and forth from the front to the back pair for hours I would believe he had it. But some little unruly kid that listens to one person and not others I don't buy it but it's easy to use it as a crutch some might use for being a poor parent.

Fetal alchohol Syndrome is a problem that causes that behaviour also.parents doing all kinds of drugs now-another reason for an increase in behaviour problems in children today.
Look for people with their eyes spaced far apart-that is a sure sign of fas..

Lower ears along with a relaxed face structure.

I for one am one who has ADHD. I was raised by great parents who didn’t let us do anything we wanted. My moms side of the family cattle ranches, and my dad side farms alfalfa. So from as long as I can remember, I’ve been feeding/branding/sorting cows from horse back, and once I was 9 I started driving the bailer. There was a huge difference between me and my 4 siblings when it comes to staying focused on task. No difference in parenting. The doctor told my mom I had ADD (they now call it ADHD and the only reason the name changed is because they figured out that the issue is caused my under stimulation of the brain instead of over stimulation that’s why they treat it with a stimulant not instead of a depressant). My mom never accepted it because she thought it was one of those made up things. And I’m glad she didn’t because riddalin was the wrong drug to use. Later when I was in high school they started treating it with adderall (amphetamine salts). Still my mom didn’t want me on the medication. Once I got to college it was a real struggle. I finally researched it and in my final year of school I got on the medication and it changed my life.

First off, I don’t think kids should be given anything for it. It can be treated enough on kids at a young age with lots of activities and caffeine in extreme cases. I had what they consider an extreme case, and I survived. I also had awesome parents who actually patented. (Spanking was normal parenting and is still practiced in my home with my kids). Adderall is addictive and I’m lucky to not have an addictive personality so I manage my meds very good and most times only take a half dose and same times don’t take it at all so my body doesn’t get to used to it. Because of that I’ve never had to up my dose which most people on it need to do. The big issue is if I don’t take it for a few days I get an extremely short fuse and freak out over the littlest things. So in that way my body is addicted to it but I’m sure I could get totally of it if I really wanted to.

So bottom line is it is real, just was never treated way back because people just delt with it. And I DO NOT believe kids should be given a mild form of meth.

Great post I was a kid that back in the day called me hyper active was the term but yep I guess they call it ADHD now that it is recognized.
Once you get a handle on it for yourself you can focus though lots of jobs. It's a blessing now.
Coffee or caffeine puts me right to sleep.

Haha i had a really good doctor and she said that caffeine putting you to sleep is a sign of ADHD. It’s because the caffeine is balancing the lack of dopamine in your brain. And yes, I do agree that it is something that can be managed without meds, it just takes a lot more work. I’m almost to the point to were I’m going to get off the meds. No meds are good for you long term. And even though I benefit from it, I think doctors over diagnose and don’t explain it good enough to parents and also over prescribe meds for it. I feel lucky to have the first doctor I had and not having an addicted personality because I can see how it could easily ruin someone’s life.

I would also suspect that ADHD in girls has slightly differing symptoms (like in autism). I'm no doctor, so don't take my word on it.

I've certainly got ADD, though it mostly shines through in my forgetfulness, tendency to jump from hobby to hobby, and indecision (when deciding what to work on, or do during the day, outside of my "9 to 5").
Never take any meds for it, though I recently took myself off of my depression pills. I "feel better" for it... couldn't cry or feel anything but numb and irritated most of the time.

I am sure there are SOME real cases of it but mostly it is easier to medicate a child than be a parent to one.

It may be real but LOTS of parents like to get the label for little johnny or suzy because they are lazy. In the school system it means "extra" time on test. In some cases it means less strict enforcement of rules of behavior. In our day they would bust your bottom and if you didn't pay attention to why you got the busting they did it again harder.

Made up labels and numbers for fruit cake parents who suck at being parents.......

Yep I say it's real and agree with TraderVic..You need someone that knows how to test you not just watch you for 10 minutes throw pills at ya.
When my son was in grad school he had a teacher that called us in.. She was very up to speed on ADD having a daughter of her own who had it. She said our son was not disruptive or causing problems just didn't follow well in class. So I checked with my doctor and he sent us to a psychiatrist. One who specialized in diagnosing various mental health issues not just ADD..He ran my son threw a battery of test and came back saying yes he has what we call Focus ADD..His IQ was way higher than what his poor math or reading skills showed he should be..
So we did put him on a very low doze medication, got him a tutor to get him back up to grade level on his reading and math..Also did some habit changes..really simple things most people would say didn't think would help. Like moving him to a front row desk away from window. Not punishing him or embarrassing him by sitting him in a corner. Like more than one teacher did to me...Why? so he can focus on the teacher and not look at what others in front of him are doing or whats outside..Gave him one plain yellow pencil to use in class. Why?? So he wasn't twirling the rain bow colored ones popular at the time just looking at them or rolling two or 3 different colored ones on his desk. Simple things like that can change behavior believe it or not..He had a note book for his teacher to look at and see he had his home work notes in there we checked it when he came home..Did that all threw grade school and even into high school.. In high school where we could set his class schedule some what.. important classes were first in morning and right after lunch when his focus was best..
I never spanked him once for anything happened at school. Really never had to spank him much for anything he was a good kid just easily distracted... He quit taking his medication I believe when he graduated and hasn't taken any since.

So anyway there was a point in there where I said you know my kid is just like I was. So I went to the same doc when I was at about age 40 something. Ask can you test me for ADD?? he says yes I can test you. He said I know it's all the talk right now Adult ADD.. But I've tested maybe couple 100 adults thought they had ADD and found all kinds of various other metal health issues and like 4 had ADD. I went in 2-3 different times done bunch of written test and oral tests, timed tests and some things on a computer.. Was actually kinda nervous when I went in for him to give me the results..Thought he say was just regular dummy LOL..He runs his whole speech past me about how many people he has tested and what he found.. Then say you get to be number 5 out of all them with ADD.. So my medical record now say "Adult Attention Deficit Disorder".. I can go tomorrow and get a prescription for meds if I wanted. I did take them for a while mostly when I was in a class or teaching a class..When I do take meds I can actually sit and read a whole book..can write one if I'm in the mood..Biggest thing for me was once I knew I was actually ADD. I didn't wear it like a badge or make excuses..I did what I need to work with it and a lot of my frustration and anger with myself went away. Like we had done with my son..I have a list in my pocket as I type this..Dozen or so unfinished jobs I'll get to when I feel like.. really need the list now because I'm just getting old.
So if those that know me wonder why I rattle like an empty cart.. As my grand mother used to tell me.. Why I typed this whole page full...It's not because I've had to much sugar or to much caffeine..Which by the way for me caffeine worked as a self medication..
I'm 63 I'm ADD and that's my story and I'm sticking to it..


Mac

You sound like my old man..

Mac

The vast majority of these cases are just bad "time out" parenting. Strange how the over medication of children the last couple decades coincidences with so many failures in society.

ADHD is real, period. It is a mental disorder just like any other. They have a real time focusing on any one thing, remembering. There brains are racing all the time. JMO

Didn’t read through all the post, figured it would tick me off.

Answer to your question, YES it is real. Before CJ came along I might have dismissed it as a few comments that I read stating it was bad parenting. Yes and no. As most remember we got CJ when he was 5 days old and adopted him two months before his 5th birthday. He was born with 8 different drugs in his body and suffers from Autism and ADHD. His little mind never shuts off. I mean from the time his eyes open in athe morning until he gets his “pill” at night, he is nonstop.

He’s not on meds per say, he gets a 5mg Melatonin pill to get him to sleep. We try not and give one on the weekends if we have no plans and he’ll finally give out about 0100-0200. When he was a toddler we KNEW something wasn’t right (other than the obvious drugs he was born with) and we sought counseling. We then learned about Autism and ADHD. He is by no means on the lower spectrum of learning, he’s the type that finishes work quickly and accurately and get bored. I don’t think he’s ever been still more than 2-3 minutes his entire life, and that includes sleeping.

He is getting better as are we. It’s not his fault, but it’s our responsibility to learn how to deal with a child like this. As he gets older he’s learning what’s acceptable and what’s not. His one fault if you want to call it that is he CANNOT lie! No matter what happens. If he gets a frown instead of a smiley face at school, I can ask what happened and he’ll tell me no matter what it was, lol. And some of his answers are hilarious and his teacher will confirm everything he said.

So, next time you see a child you think is a brat or has bad parents, just remember you DON’T know the entire story of that child’s life. Trust me, he is nothing like our previous sons, but I love him and his ADHD self all the same.

I’m editing to add that children like this are very structured in their routines. Break that routine and they “act out” to an extent. Nothing major, just more restless and irritated. We have to talk about things before hand then remind him prior to anything “not in his normal” schedule or thinking process. For instance every night when he takes his pill he asks “Where I go tomorrow?” If it’s a weekday we tell him school then momma if she’s not working. If she’s working it’s school and Ally’s (like his second momma). I went to pick him up early one day to take him fishing and he wouldn’t leave or didn’t want to leave because momma was supposed to pick him up. I didn’t press the issue and just waited until he got out and his momma picked him up.
So if you see a child “acting out” maybe his routine was changed and he’s just uncomfortable with the situation.