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Is ADHD a real disorder, or just a label for bad behaviour?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is real. It is the commonest developmental disorder in children. It is defined as a
persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactive and impulsive behaviour that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in
individuals at a similar level of development. The symptoms cause problems for children at home and school. Children with ADHD
may have different functional difficulties, but all share the feature of poorly sustained attention. Some are extremely impulsive, some
aggressive, others quiet and restless. Many have low self-esteem. Commonly associated problems (comorbidities) include language
disorders, anxiety, defiant behaviour, fine motor and coordination difficulties and learning disabilities. ADHD can be highly disruptive
to families and result in academic underachievement and social isolation. Individuals with ADHD are at increased risk of a range of
adverse long term outcomes in adolescence and adulthood..

Is ADHD over-diagnosed in Australia?

In Australia ADHD is usually diagnosed by a paediatrician, child and adolescent psychiatrist or psychologist. These professionals are
experts in child development and behaviour, and are skilled in the evaluation of children with problems in these areas. The rate of
diagnosis of ADHD in Australia is between that of the USA (high rates) and Europe (low rates). While ADHD affects around 3-5%
of children, approximately 1-2% of Australian children are prescribed medication for ADHD.

At what age do you grow out of ADHD?

Most children with ADHD will continue to have some difficulties with concentration, impulse control and organisation
into adolescence, and often into adult life. However many individuals learn strategies to adapt so that they can function
well in society and achieve success.

Why has ADHD emerged as a problem in just the last 20 years?

ADHD has probably existed in the human population for thousands of years, and indeed may have conferred some evolutionary
advantage. It was first described in the scientific literature about a century ago. Prior to the understanding that some people have an
inherent fault in their ability to direct their attention at will, sufferers were simply labelled as 'lazy' or 'stupid'. The current diagnostic
labels recognise that the problems suffered by these individuals are not due to a moral failing on their part, but are due to a physically
based condition over which they have no control.

Diagnosis in psychiatry is a continually evolving skill. It is to be expected that as knowledge is enhanced by research, there will be
further improvements in our understanding of the condition that we currently know as ADHD.

Over the last twenty years, everyone's lifestyle and school expectations have changed dramatically. We spend more hours in front of
TV and computer screens, are less physically active, and sleep fewer hours on average each night. Teaching methods are different
and students face higher expectations of academic performance. A generation ago, it often happened that people left school in early
adolescence and entered a trade. Although ADHD has some useful attributes, in a world that increasingly prizes academicattainment,
those who are disadvantaged by having ADHD naturally seek to have it identified and treated. But just as some professionals were
unwilling to accept depression as other than moral weakness, so there are some who continue to view ADHD as moral weakness or
ineptitude.

Does lack of discipline in the schools contribute to ADHD?

A lack of discipline in schools is not a cause of ADHD, however students with this condition will be significantly influenced by the
way their classroom and school environment are managed. There are anumber of technigues that staff can use to benefit students
with ADHD and offset deficits in attention. Predictable structure and routine is important. Cues to important points in the learning
or pivotal steps in a class activity; are helpful, especially visual cues. Flexible planning can allow for breaks in sustained attention
and concentration. Teachers should show warmth, good humour and optimism toward the student. Markers of achievement will
encourage students to see themselves as successful. Regular communication and two-way feedback with parents is valuable. None
of the above strategies require that students with ADHD be any less accountable for unacceptable behaviour than their class peers.

If I have ADHD are my children more likely to have it?

ADHD has a strong hereditary link. Research has shown that adults with ADHD have 2-8 times greater chance of having a child
with ADHD.

If you are over 18 and taking stimulant medication, should you drive a car?

An individual who has ADHD is likely to be distractible and impulsive.  Although the symptoms of hyperactivity tend to lessen with
age, adults often report a degree of restlessness which might be a remnant of their earlier hyperactivity.  The key to good driving is
that the symptoms of ADHD must be adequately controlled.  Stimulants are commonly used medications for treating ADHD.  If
you are taking a stimulant, which has been prescribed by your medical practitioner, and you are using it as recommended, and if
your symptoms are adequately controlled, you would then be in a better position to drive a car rather than if you are untreated, and
your symptoms are out of control. The reason is that you will be better able to concentrate on your driving, if you are properly treated.

If you are an adult with ADHD, should you tell your employer?

The employer/employee relationship, whilst governed by rules and regulations, also operates at a fairly individual level.  If the ADHD
is uncontrolled and you are unable to concentrate, or if you continue to have hyperactivity or impulsivity, then you should question
whether you are suitable to do that job.  The primary onus would be on yourself to decide whether you are suitable even to attempt
undertaking that particular employment.  On the other hand, if you had been placed in that job by an agency that was aware of your
disability, one would expect that your disability would already have  been discussed in appropriate terms with your employer.  The
issue therefore, is not so much your ADHD diagnosis, but whether or not your illness is properly treated and the symtoms are
adequately controlled. If this is so, then it may not be necessary for you to officially inform your employer unless specific questions
were asked.  It will be very much like you having to reveal that you had diabetes or asthma. Unless it is directly relevant to the work
that you are doing, it is your choice.

Finally, if you have a reasonable relationship between yourself and another trustworthy person within the employment agency, it may
be prudent to discuss with them the fact that you are on medication. This may stand you in good stead if issues should arise such as
random drug tests in which it may be revealed that you are taking stimulant medications.  So there is no one answer to this question,
but rather it is a matter of making prudent and wise decisions. 

On the other hand, if you feel that you are likely to be discriminated against, then you may want to seek help from the appropriate
sources such as your Ombudsman, or through the processes outlined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
www.humanrights.gov.au\index.htm