A Warning for the Over-Diagnosed

Attention Deficit Disorder, referred to as ADD or ADHD when a hyperactive element is present, is a condition which usually is present in children 6-17 years of age and appears more commonly with older children. Despite this, a great number of students are diagnosed with ADD or ADHD as early as preschool, regardless of the fact that many individuals do not believe such a condition exists, and the dangers that come with this over-diagnosis are can be severe. Not only do the prescribed medications have multiple side effects, some which may last even after the child no longer takes the medication, but a student who has been diagnosed may find themselves struggling even more in school for a number of reasons. Their teachers may not know exactly how to teach a student with Attention Deficit Disorder, or may not even believe that such a condition exists and therefore refuse to adopt new teaching methods to help those students. Regardless of whether one believes the condition to be real, the fact remains that the number of children diagnosed with ADD or ADHD has increased over the years, and those that have been over-diagnosed should be aware that there could be dangers to both their personal, social, and educational lifestyles if they decide to use medications to battle the condition rather than looking into alternative methods.