Masses of misinformation swirl around the media, writing ADHD off as laziness and lack of discipline. While people with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, controlling impulsive behavior, or being overly active, these symptoms aren’t due to a lack of self-discipline; they’re cause by a neurodevelopmental disorder. Most kids with ADHD won’t just grow out of their behaviors either. These misunderstandings about the disorder perpetuate a negative stereotype for ADHD patients, so we’re busting five major ADHD myths.
1) ADHD is fake.
Every major medical group recognizes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a valid condition, but some people still insist that ADHD is “fake”. While everyone gets distracted sometimes, people with ADHD experience it on an entirely different level. Brain scans show that the brain architecture of people with ADHD is different than people who don’t have it.
2) Bad parenting causes ADHD.
Research suggests that genetic and neurological factors are the main causes of ADHD, rather than social factors. Twin studies of children with ADHD indicate that family environments contribute very little to individual differences in ADHD symptoms.
3) ADHD is Over-Diagnosed.
The trend of increased diagnosis rates over the past few decades leads many to wonder if ADHD is over-diagnosed. However, studies show that the vast majority of practitioners use the best practice guidelines when diagnosing children with ADHD. Increased rates of ADHD diagnosis may be attributed to improved awareness among practitioners and parents, weakened stigma, and availability of improved treatment options.
4) Adults can’t have ADHD.
Recent long-term studies of children with ADHD show that ADHD in fact can, and often is a lifespan disorder. Research shows that ADHD continues from childhood to adolescence in 50%-80% of cases, and to adulthood in 35%-65% of cases.
5) People with ADHD are stupid.
An ADHD diagnosis has nothing to do with intellectual ability. Plenty of people with ADHD are extremely smart, creative, and successful. They just work differently than others.
Source: www.chadd.org
We are currently enrolling 4-5 year olds with ADHD in a clinical research study. If you’d like to learn more about this opportunity or any of our other studies, please fill out the form below and a member of our staff will reach out with more information.
