French Kids Don't Have ADHD

[OldDad]

94% fewer children in France are diagnosed with ADHD than in the U.S.  That's not a typo - 94%...

I have long contended that ADD/ADHD is wildy over- and mistakenly diagnosed in our country. Teachers, doctors and too many parents seem hellbent on medicating their children - especially their little boys - for normal childhood behavior. And don't miss that Big Pharma is making a massive push to keep patients on their "only maintenance/no cure" medications well into adulthood.

Here's an interesting article on how things are handled in another First World country.

Why French Kids Don't Have ADHD

[MeMyself]

94% fewer children in France are diagnosed with ADHD than in the U.S.  That's not a typo - 94%...

I have long contended that ADD/ADHD is wildy over- and mistakenly diagnosed in our country. Teachers, doctors and too many parents seem hellbent on medicating their children - especially their little boys - for normal childhood behavior. And don't miss that Big Pharma is making a massive push to keep patients on their "only maintenance/no cure" medications well into adulthood.

Here's an interesting article on how things are handled in another First World country.

Why French Kids Don't Have ADHD

Oh my gosh! I SO agree!  It has LONG been a pet peeve of mine...we are too quick to diagnose normal outgoing cant sit still personalities as needing to be medicated.

My youngest is even called ADHD by a friend of mine, and I just grit my teeth and smile at her, but she couldn't be more wrong!  She is a vivacious, confident, happy and yes bouncy child, but she is PERFECT the way God made her!

[Helen]

I'll take the time to read the article later -- I'm late out to feed the animals, but there is one reason it IS more prevalent here in the USA -- we feed out kids foods full of artificial ingredients, and that is a major cause of hyperactivity:  artificial flavorings, colorings, and MSG and related flavor enhancers are all known stimulants.  The French depend a lot more on real home cooking -- and that is a big reason for the difference, aside from the misdiagnoses.

[Nevertheless]

The article does touch on diet, but I think the concluding paragraph hits the nail on the head:

As a therapist who works with children, it makes perfect sense to me that French children don't need medications to control their behavior because they learn self-control early in their lives. The children grow up in families in which the rules are well-understood, and a clear family hierarchy is firmly in place. In French families, as Druckerman describes them, parents are firmly in charge of their kids—instead of the American family style, in which the situation is all too often vice versa.

[chosenone]

94% fewer children in France are diagnosed with ADHD than in the U.S.  That's not a typo - 94%...

I have long contended that ADD/ADHD is wildy over- and mistakenly diagnosed in our country. Teachers, doctors and too many parents seem hellbent on medicating their children - especially their little boys - for normal childhood behavior. And don't miss that Big Pharma is making a massive push to keep patients on their "only maintenance/no cure" medications well into adulthood.

Here's an interesting article on how things are handled in another First World country.

Why French Kids Don't Have ADHD

Quite often kids who are diagnosed with this, are from the more dysfunctional homes with inconsistent rules and discipline(or no rules and discipline) and what many of those kids need is to know where they are, and to know the boundaries. How many times have we seen wild and naughty kids on those Supernanny programmes who seem out of control, and after a few days of consistent parenting they are transformed.
Its one of those trendy buzz words I feel, and many parents excuse their kids bad behaviour because of it. Many problem families will have 2 or three kids who apparently have ADHD, which proves my point.
I am sure that diet does play a part also, and if those families ate healthier food rather that takeaways/burgers/pizzas/sweets/fizzy drinks etc, I am sure things would also improve. 

[MeMyself]

The article does touch on diet, but I think the concluding paragraph hits the nail on the head:

As a therapist who works with children, it makes perfect sense to me that French children don't need medications to control their behavior because they learn self-control early in their lives. The children grow up in families in which the rules are well-understood, and a clear family hierarchy is firmly in place. In French families, as Druckerman describes them, parents are firmly in charge of their kids—instead of the American family style, in which the situation is all too often vice versa.

I agree with this!  It is not as easy to have a strong willed, active, vivacious child, so establishing consistent, loving authority is so vital!

[DaveW]

Part of the problem is that here in the US, trying to reign in an active child is considered abuse.