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ADHD Myths & Facts
There are many stories and opinions on ADHD... Find out what is myth and what is fact.
Myth: "ADHD is just a diagnosis, increasingly used by doctors for difficult children."
Fact: ADHD has been a recognized disorder for over 50 years. However, as doctors have gained a better understanding of the disorder and can identify it more easily, ADHD diagnoses are more common than in the past. In the United States, ADHD is diagnosed in 3-5% of the population every year.
Myth: "My shy, daydreaming daughter can't possibly have ADHD! I thought it only affected hyperactive little boys."
Fact: ADHD affects both males and females. Boys are diagnosed with the disorder 2-3 times more than girls. Girls may have less impulsive or hyperactive behaviours than boys, but this does not mean that ADHD is not found in girls. Unfortunately, for many girls and women, ADHD is an under-diagnosed disease due to the "cute" behaviour of the girls, e.g. "day dreaming"
Myth: "It's probably all that junk food my child eats or some other environmental problem that causes ADHD."
Fact: Special diets and limiting food additives will not prevent ADHD. However, paying attention to overall general health, including exercise, rest, and nutrition, can help manage the symptoms of ADHD.
Myth: "If parents would discipline their children the way they used to in the old days, children wouldn't have these disruptive and bad behaviours."
Fact: Research has shown that parenting and discipline styles do not cause ADHD. However, just like diabetes and other disorders, parental involvement in treatment (behavioural management strategies and/or medications) can help manage ADHD symptoms.
Myth: "There is absolutely no way she has ADHD! She has no trouble focusing on the things she wants to do, like playing computer games."
Fact: People who can concentrate some of the time may still have ADHD. People with ADHD have difficulty executing most tasks for periods of time, but they (like many people) can concentrate on things that interest them and that they find stimulating, such as computer games.
Myth: "Since people with ADHD aren't as smart as their peers, they usually have to be put in special classes."
Fact: ADHD does not affect intellectual ability. Children with ADHD are just as smart as any other child. However, many children with ADHD may not do as well at school as their classmates without ADHD. Many of those with ADHD also have learning disabilities, which are addressed with specific targeted techniques. Most children with ADHD can succeed in regular classrooms with the help of parents and teachers who use techniques, such as positive reinforcement, organizational and study skills, and stimulating instructional aides.
Myth: "It's simple; once you start taking the medications, you'll be fine."
Fact: While no treatment is available that cures ADHD, treatment programs, which include medication and/or behavioural modification techniques help manage symptoms. Several decades of research indicate that for about 70% of those with ADHD, stimulant medications improve many of the symptoms of ADHD. Stimulant medications increase certain neural messengers which results in an increase in focus and the ability to control one's behaviour better. Other effective treatments that may be combined with medication, or used independently, include behavioural management techniques and classroom interventions.
Myth: "It's just a phase, he'll grow out of this."
Fact: Children with ADHD may or may not grow out of it. About 70% of children with the disorder will continue to have ADHD symptoms during adolescence, and some of them will even experience symptoms that impair functioning into adulthood. Hyperactive symptoms appear to decrease as youngsters grow up. However, attention problems often persist into adulthood. Adults with ADHD typically find that their symptoms diminish gradually as they get older, or are less bothersome as they learn to use successful coping strategies.
Myth: " I can't have ADHD; I'm not hyperactive."
Fact: Hyperactivity is a symptom experienced by only a number of ADHD sufferers experience. There are three subtypes of ADHD: predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, predominantly inattentive and combined type. Read more about
Diagnosis section.
