Posted by johnLA on March 14, 2014, at 9:48:10
In reply to Re: Doctor: 'ADHD Doesn't Exist, Drugs Do More Harm... » johnLA, posted by SLS on March 13, 2014, at 22:59:01
>Hi.
I can't speak to how screening and treatment are implemented in schools. However, I don't see that the incidence of pediatric ADHD should be much higher than 5%. Len Adler puts it between 6% - 9%. That seems awfully high to me, but he's one of the experts.
What would you say is the incidence of a ADHD diagnosis in children of the more affluent schools?
- Scott<hi scott. :)
i am just one teacher. my experience may be quite skewed for a # of reasons. (if your interested let me know.)
before i answer, i contacted an old friend/colleague that was the department head for the special ed/learning "accommodated" kids. i was curious what he had to say.
just like depression there is a very wide spectrum these days on the type of kid kid that gets labeled under this umbrella. very different than when you and i went to school.there are kids that are severely mentally challenged; let's use a down's syndrome kid. special classes for them. i'm not including these kids in the discussion here.
then, there is a whole 'new' population of kids that fall under kids that have been dx'd w/some sort of 'learning disability.'terminology is interesting here. i have watched it change over the decades of my career.
this is the group i think you would be interested in; adhd, dyslexia, autism, depression, anxiety, bipolar, etc.
again, before i answer your specific question (suspense! ;)), it's also very interesting that adhd is dx'd almost 2x's as much on the east coast (high income) as it is on the west coast (high income). strange, no?
not too strange if you think about it. the city of berkley, CA tried to ban the use of ect several years ago. california has always been a more 'progressive' or 'natural' state in almost all ways. including education.
ok, now on to your specific question...
my colleague said at our school kids on psych drugs was between 15% to 20%. by far the most were on ritalin. his guess was half.that puts your answer at 7.5% to 10%. he also mentioned many kids were dx'd w/adhd and their parents chose to not 'drug' them. he said that if the parents and the kid put in the 'work' these kids were just as fine as the kids on meds.
he also mentioned that the #'s of kids on all sorts of meds is climbing. anxiety/depression seem to be the fastest possibly in his opinion.whew!
these #'s are what i would have said on my own. my classes had about 40 kids in them. i would say about 4 to 8 in each class were either on some psych med or 'labeled' with some learning mental processing deal.
back in the 70's at catholic school we would just get swats for acting out is sister mona's class. no meds then!
hope that answers some of your question.
poster:johnLA
thread:1062349
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140307/msgs/1062470.html