Is ADHD Overdiagnosed? Yes & No

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: Correction: April 2, 2013 A headline on Monday about the marked rise in diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, described incorrectly the disorder that saw the increase. It is A.D.H.D. — not hyperactivity, which is present in only a portion of A.D.H.D. cases. The article also misidentified the organization that plans to change the definition of A.D.H.D. to allow more people to receive the diagnosis and treatment. It is the American Psychiatric Association, not the American Psychological Association. This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: Correction: April 3, 2013 An article on Monday about the marked rise in diagnoses of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder misstated the increase in the past decade of children ages 4 through 17 diagnosed with A.D.H.D. at some point in their lives. It is 41 percent, not 53 percent. It seems to me that there was a clear effort here to exaggerate the claims regarding the data. And not just one correction needed to be made, but three — which is pretty unusual for the prestigious New York Times. When journalists — whom we expect to be unbiased and objective reporters of the data — can’t get even the basic facts straight, it makes you wonder. Who can we turn to for objective reporting on this issue? Part 2 of this article, where I cover...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Tags: ADHD and ADD Children and Teens Disorders General Mental Health and Wellness Minding the Media Parenting Policy and Advocacy Treatment Alan Schwarz American Psychiatric Association attention Attention Deficit Attention Deficit Hy Source Type: blogs