Is ADHD the Result Of Bad Parenting?

The issue of Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is cropping up more and more lately, and many want to know the facts. No parent wants to be responsible for their child suffering, or potentially falling behind in school. But can bad parenting really be the cause of ADHD?

The Facts

Some characteristics of ADD and ADHD are: trouble concentrating, obsessing regularly, easily confused, restlessness and impulsiveness.

According to the website, cdc.gov, 5.2 million children have been diagnosed with ADHD. That's 8.4% of all children in the United States. It's more prevalent in boys, at 11.5%, than girls, who only have 5.5% diagnosis. This is an astounding figure, and it should stand to reason there is a cause for it all.

Misconceptions

One belief surrounding the rise in ADHD diagnosis is the amount of TV children today are watching. A study called the National Longitudinal survey (www.bls.gov/nls), took a survey as to how much TV was being watched by a controlled group of children bi-annually, from birth to age 7, and then tested each child. The result of the test was, 10% of those who watched at least 2.2 hours per day of TV at age-one, and 3.6 hours per day at age-three, had been diagnosed with either ADD or ADHD. This has led many to believe that TV watching is a possible cause for ADHD, however this is untrue.

The figure of 10% of children tested is too small a result to garner any real answers, and it is to close to the 8.4% of all children in the United States, who have ADHD.

The other misconception, is that parenting styles, or lack there-of, is a predominant cause of ADHD. This is also untrue.

Causes of ADHD

ADHD is a biological disorder of the brain, that has been linked to several different genes, and is most notably caused by heredity.

The truth is, ADHD is becoming more common because diagnosis is more common. The science is becoming more detailed, and parents and educators are becoming more knowledgeable on the subject.

The issues of parenting style can exacerbate the symptoms of ADHD, but not cause them. Modern stress and a lack of structure can be a trigger for the symptoms. Children with ADHD benefit from structure and positive reinforcement. Children suffering from the ailment, learn through imagination and creative curiosity, which are things that are disappearing from today's schools.

Children with these issues are more likely to be creative, sensitive, high energy, imaginative and persistent. They are accustomed to "thinking outside the box," and parenting styles that are too demanding will lead to issues.

Children who suffer from ADHD are suffering form a medical illness, and parents, while they need to stay on top of it setting appropriate boundaries, are not the cause.