[MortMan]

For what it's worth, there are two methods of diagnosing ADD. First, and this is the "usual" method, is the behavioral diagnosis. This happens when the liberal teacher decides he or she can't handle an active child and demands that the child be subjected to drugging to prevent further disruption of the teacher's train of thought.

Second, there is a clinical test which measures the 'cortical slowing' in a child (or adult). This measurement, which quantifies the ability of the person to react to specific stimulus within a controlled background of non-related stimuli, has been proven to show that about 50% of behavioral diagnoses are wrong.

Let me say that again... 1/2 of all behavioral diagnoses of ADD are false. It is because of this huge percentage of misdiagnoses that ADD has become the disbelieved affliction it is today. The misdiagnosed children do not react to pharmaceutical, nutritional, or other intervention by improving the root issue - which is a behavioral problem. Clinically diagnosed kids do react to these therapies more positively, because the therapies do affect the root cause of their issue - being a dopaminergic system deficiency in their frontal lobe.

/rant

[Old Sarge]

Thank you, Mort.

We stuck to our guns for the clinicians to give us the answer. Cussedness in the face of the bureaucracy paid off.

[cajungirl]

To further compound the problem, inattention is often a sign of other problems, depression, anxiety, psychosis, impulsive disorders. And ADHD has a high comorbidity with behavior problems, depression and anxiety. So while some kids with ADHD are pretty simple and clear cut in diagnosis and respond to medication predictably, others do not. A clear cut good response to stimulants without having any stimulation is a pretty good indicator of ADHD. Other kids without adhd find stimulants intolerable.