Is ADHD Being Misdiagnosed?

Did you know that there are up to 30 illnesses and conditions which mimic ADHD? That could be one the reasons linked to ADHD being misdiagnosed. This is dealt with at length in the book called 'The Great Misdiagnsois' written by Dr. Haber. Some of the thirty conditions which he calls 'the great imitators' range from allergies, Tourette's syndrome, mental retardation, thyroid problems, sleep disorders and autism. Obviously when seeking an accurate diagnosis, these conditions should first be ruled out by the doctor or the paediatrician.

Experts from the Universities of Sydney and Wollongong in Australia have questioned the whole ADHD diagnosis and treatment scenario in their country. They believe that many of the ADHD cases are misdiagnosed and that the real cause and condition is actually a learning disability. They also question the long term benefits (if any) of Ritalin and Adderall which are the main drugs prescribed for ADHD. These are basically mind altering drugs and have come in for a lot of criticism while ADHD homeopathic and ADHD natural remedies are gaining ground all the time. One of the most alarming effects of ADHD being misdiagnosed is that children and adult lives are being unnecessarily compromised.

So why are there so many questions and doubts about ADHD being misdiagnosed? The main reason is that there is no clinical test which will give a definite resut. Diagnosis is based on somewhat subjective questionnaires which are given to parents and teachers and other care givers involved in the welfare of the child.

Another reason for ADHD being misdiagnosed is that the actual cause of the condition which is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity and lack of concentration to the point of interfering with a child's or adult's social and work life, is not known either. Causes could be genetic (there seems to be a 25% possibility of parents actually having the condition themselves), social and environmental. But nobody is absolutely certain.

What is certain is that treatment of ADHD has been the subject of controversial debate. Alternative treatments and especially ADHD behavior therapy is now been hailed by the experts as the only effective way to teach the ADHD child life skills. In addition a homeopathic remedy for ADHD is much preferred by many parents as there are no side effects and there is no risk of addiction.