Often wrong ADHD diagnosis in children

Often too fast and wrong ADHD diagnosis in children.

(18.08.2010) A US study found that ADHD diagnoses are too hasty in children too often. The study's authors estimate that around one million children in the US live with a misdiagnosed ADHD diagnosis.

Children play and are often very lively. Many parents, teachers and physicians sometimes attest an attention deficit syndrome (ADHD) to children, although other reasons for the behavior play a role. As a result, children need to seek treatment and receive medications such as Ritalin, Medikinet, Concerta or Strattera. A study by the University of Michigan found, according to a study, about one million children in the US live with a false ADHD diagnosis. Most affected are the youngest children in kindergartens or schools, such as study leader Todd Elder im „Journal of Health Economics“ explained. In addition, ADHD diagnoses have risen rapidly in recent years.

On the one hand, it is because parents and educators now look more closely, on the other hand, children are placed in abnormalities or lively behavior too quickly in the ADHD corner. This could have serious consequences for children, because such drugs can of course interfere with the development of the child and cause side effects such as headache, loss of appetite, insomnia or stomach discomfort. Overdose can cause dizziness, heart palpitations, increased blood pressure and sleep problems. A very strong overdose can lead to over-excitement of the central nervous system, convulsions, hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias.

Unlike in Germany, ADHD drugs are also prescribed to preschool children in the US. This is also reflected in the study results. On average, 60% more ADHD is diagnosed in infants than in children who belong to the elderly in the respective kindergarten or school group. For the schoolchildren, the proportion is even twice as high as reported in the study.

The scientist Todd Elder warns therefore to equate impulsive behavior with an ADHD disorder. In ADHD, the following symptoms occur: lack of concentration, strong urge to move and extreme impulsivity. But "the symptoms can simply reflect the emotional and mental immaturity of younger children," Todd Elder says in the journal. It is downright fatal that the children are unjustly exposed to the medicines. After all, the long-term effects of treating children with psychotropic drugs have not been researched well enough. In the presented study, the data of about 12,000 children were examined.

According to the Techniker Krankenkasse, more and more ADHD medicines are being prescribed in Germany too. For example, over the past three years, the cost of ADHD medication has risen by almost 30 percent. It is therefore to be assumed that many children in Germany also live with a false ADHD diagnosis. (Sb)

Also read:
Attention Deficit Disorder AD (H) S
ADHD portal against premature diagnoses
Environmental factors hardly investigated in ADHD

Image: Rainer Sturm /Pixelio.de