Myths and Facts of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Many parents of school-age children are dealing with a variety of difficult issues that make sending their children to school a much more complicated endeavor than years ago. For example, there has been an increase in information about a learning problem called Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or “ADHD.” Much is known about ADHD, but there is considerable misinformation floating around on TV, in newspapers, and from professionals, making it difficult for parents to understand ADHD.

The most common myth about ADHD is that children and adults with the disorder cannot pay attention. The truth is that ADHD is a problem with regulating attention. Sometimes people with ADHD are highly attentive and focused. The key here is that when things are not very stimulating, it is very difficult for a person with ADHD to attend and focus. The more stimulating the task, the better the attention and focus. For example, a child with ADHD may have problems paying attention to math problems, but be very focused when counting out his/her change for the purchase of a new video game.

Another myth about ADHD is that it is being over-diagnosed. This is not necessarily true. When done by a trained mental health professional, the diagnosis of ADHD in the general population is relatively stable at about 4 to 7 percent. Certainly, more people are talking about ADHD and other psychological and behavioral problems because of the decrease in the stigma associated with these problems. This, may in turn, make people feel that everyone has ADHD or some other problem. Instead, we are just more comfortable talking about these things.

A common myth about ADHD treatment is that the most effective treatment is giving people with ADHD a stimulant such as “Ritalin.” Once again, the research shows that providing a structured environment is very effective in decreasing problems of poor organization, poor attention, poor concentration and high impulsivity. While approximately 80% of people who take a stimulant for ADHD respond favorably to it, another 20% do not. This makes it even more important to make sure that people with ADHD get assistance with organization, task completion and remembering things.