Conditions Mimicking ADHD

 

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A Critique of the International Consensus

Statement on ADHD

 

Why did a group of eminent psychiatrists and psychologists produce a consensus statement that seeks to forestall debate on the merits of the widespread diagnosis and drug treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have looked long and hard at this issue. We have reviewed many medical and trade magazines, papers, publications and websites looking for the answer.  We have contacted some of the "foremost " medical authorities on  ADD and ADHD, experts in child development, and pharmaceutical profiteers.  Some were very cooperative and some were not.  We took an analytical look at all the data and this is what we found:

 

 

  • There is no definitive or scientific proof that ADD or ADHD is a medical condition justifying the use of strong drugs such as 'Ritalin'.
  • The "diagnosis" is subjective and is so widely defined that it has been claimed to be caused by  Thyroid  Disease,  Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, Television watching, and even Brain Malfunctions.  None of which have ever been closely linked.
  • “May be a brain malfunction", but brain scan images only involve children who have been “treated” with stimulants (Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine, and all other speed-like substances) with no controls set up to include children "diagnosed" but  who have not been “treated” with stimulants (Similarities have been found between brains of “treated” kids and drug addicts).
  • Statements like "ADD or ADHD can be difficult to diagnose and even harder to understand"  are commonly used. Those that cannot validate this "diagnosis" with logic and hard science continue to distort the truth, create misunderstandings, misdirect, and ultimately leave one confused.

 

 

Here is a sample of the language used when ADD/ADHD is being described.  All the terms and "possible" causes are always preceded with these kind of statements: 

 

"Health professionals stress that since no one knows what causes ADHD"....

"there is no clear relationship"...

"scientists have come up with possible theories about what causes ADHD"...

"Some of these theories have led to dead ends"...

"One disappointing theory was"...

"Based on this theory"...

"the theory was rejected because it could explain only a very small number of cases"...

"Another theory was"...

"However, this theory, too, came under question"...

"scientists have been able to test more theories about what causes ADHD"...

"It appears from this research"...

"Scientists at NIMH hope"...

"try to discover"...

"Researchers are also searching for"... 

"institutions are tracking clues to determine"...

"It appears that"...

"Current research suggests that"...

"tend to"...."are likely to"...

"Some scientists believe....may lead to ADHD"....

 

This was taken from only one document describing what "causes" ADD/ADHD.  Almost all information surrounding this "disorder" include the same type of phrases.

 

Source: ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association).  "What Causes ADD"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“ADD is a bogus diagnosis.  Parents and teachers are rushing like lemmings to identify a pathology….Our current pathologizing of behavior leads to massive swelling of the ranks of the diseased, the dysfunctional, the disordered and the disabled.” 

                                   

Dennis Donovan M.D.

Florida Child Psychiatrist

In Mass News feature story on Special Education

December 1998

 

 

“The medical community has elevated Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to the status of diagnoses, and most people believe that these are real diseases.  They aren’t- and doctors who label children ADD or ADHD don’t have a clue what’s really ailing them.”

 

Sydney Walker III, M.D.

Psychiatrist

 

 

 

 

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