FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Isn't ADD just a fad diagnosis from the past 10-20 years?

Definitely not. It was first medically identified in 1902 by a well respected physician in England.

2. Why so much fuss about ADD? It isn't that serious, is it?

It is a serious neuro-biological disorder. Medical science has solid proof that it is caused by an imbalance in brain chemistry and other brain anomalies. Even in milder forms it can cause serious life problems such as troubles in short term memory, sustaining attention to necessary tasks, thinking before acting, thinking clearly, and sticking with priorities.

3. Isn't it being over-diagnosed?

No. Conservative estimates are that 10% of the world population have ADD. It is still very under-diagnosed.

4. Why do some ADD people seem so smart and capable, yet in other areas of their life they're almost the opposite?

That's because most ADD people are smart and capable. Their ADD symptoms mainly affect their ability to deal with the dull, boring, difficult, irritating, and confusing tasks. So, those are the tasks where you see their performance drop.

5. I know someone who has ADD and they seem OK. So where's the problem?

Maybe you don't know them as well as you think. Sit down and ask them how their ADD has affected their life. You may be surprised. Almost all ADD people struggle very hard to compensate for their symptoms, i.e., to keep others from noticing. Some are quite good at compensating. Often the real issue isn't how much you can see their symptoms, it's how much they have to struggle to compensate.

6. Medication seems extreme, is it really necessary? Isn't it harmful?

Remember, ADD is a “serious neuro-biological disorder”. See my “Free” information on medication myths. Medications have a proven track record over many years. The key is proper selection, proper dosing, and proper dose timing. Improper use of any substance can cause problems!

7. How do I know if it's just ADD or more?

Well, you don't, unless you go to see a professional who specializes in ADD and related disorders. You should see someone with this specialty. Knowledge has grown so much and so rapidly regarding ADD and related disorders in the past 10-15 years that only those who have kept abreast of this new knowledge are truly qualified to
make an assessment. Furthermore, we now know that the majority of those who have ADD also have additional problems and that proper diagnosis of those other conditions is essential to successful treatment.

8. What about so-called “natural” solutions?

When people say “natural” solutions, they usually mean
non-prescription medication solutions. The only proven “natural” solution for ADD is getting educated about the disorder and learning the proven behavior management techniques. Otherwise, despite the fact that there are many substances and products promoted as “natural” treatments for ADD, none of those items has a scientifically proven record of significantly improving ADD symptoms.

9. Why is the staff at my child's school so unhelpful in addressing ADD?

First, there are many educators who are very helpful. However, your complaint is a very common one. Most educators receive little or no information about ADD during their college training. This is even true of those in “special education”. Even though most school districts do provide in-service training about ADD, it is often superficial or it is held only once every several years. Therefore, the knowledge level of most educators regarding ADD is about the same as the general public. In addition, the education system in the USA has historically not included ADD in its category of “Learning Disabilities”. Other explanations include issues such as poor support to classroom teachers from administration and influential school psychologists whose knowledge about ADD poor. Basically, the answer is that most educators are ill-equipped to deal with ADD students.

10. Don't ADD people eventually outgrow their ADD?

No. Many well done studies have proven that symptoms continue on into adulthood. The key mitigating factors have been shown to be:

(1) Proper Treatment

(2) High Intelligence

(3) A Supportive Family

Proper treatment definitely improves the ADD person's ability to cope successfully. High intelligence means that the individual has greater ingenuity in developing compensatory strategies. A supportive family provides the ADD person with a positive, encouraging environment (which studies have shown makes a big difference).