According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, approximately 15% of grade school children can be diagnosed with ADHD, which has lead to a sevenfold increase in the production of Ritalin between 1991 and 1998. Because there are no biological tests for ADHD, diagnosis largely depends on reports from parents and teachers. Unfortunately, accounts from parents and teachers may not be entirely accurate; how can they differentiate between an active, energetic child and one who suffers from ADHD?
Compared to other countries, the incidence of ADHD in the United States is especially high. In Japan, for example, ADHD has not achieved the label of a disorder like it has in the United States. The Japanese view the “symptoms” of ADHD as temporary childhood characteristics that all individuals eventually grow out of. Americans, on the other hand, do not share the same perception. In fact, most Americans view ADHD as permanent disabilities, meaning that children diagnosed with ADHD will carry the burden of ADHD for the rest of their lives.
I believe that the common misconception in America regarding ADHD revolves around our inability to accurately diagnose the “disorder” and our hastiness in turning to medications to correct problems. America has fallen into the trap of believing that ADHD is a common “disorder” thereby leading to its over diagnosis. Part of the problem with the high incidence rate of ADHD is that society fosters the diagnosis of the “disorder” by relying heavily on medications (Ritalin) to “cure” undesired traits associated with young children. ADHD may essentially serve as a scapegoat for parents to better control their children. This scapegoat will only continue to grow unless Americans remove the stigma that undesired childhood characteristics spell ADHD.
References:
Donovan, Denis M. “An Alternative Approach to ADHD.” The Harvard Mental Health Letter May 2000: 5-7.
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