Article from ScienceNordic about the mortality rate of those diagnosed with ADHD
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Article from ScienceNordic about the mortality rate of those diagnosed with ADHD
Very interesting article, though really states data we already know. That is, people with ADHD are at risk for engaging in actions that could cause them harm, or even death. The really interesting thing, however, is that this study demonstrated the importance of treatment. As you will ready, those who were diagnosed later in life (after age 18) were at a much higher risk of early death. Bottom line – if it is a problem, get treatment.
We admit that there is a lot of controversy about the sheer number of people diagnosed with and treated for ADHD. We will have a podcast posted soon that addresses some of our thoughts on this. In the meantime, let us know what you think about these rates and your experiences.
Read the article here: http://sciencenordic.com/adhd-linked-greater-risk-dying-young
Dr. Berney administrator
14 Comments so far
DrBerneyPosted on7:52 am - Mar 6, 2015
Article from ScienceNordic about the mortality rate of those diagnosed with ADHD: Very interesting article,… http://t.co/zwHKtZl31n
John HosegoodPosted on3:59 pm - Mar 6, 2015
There was a lot less ADHD back when kids got a belt on the backside more regular.
Personally I don’t even know if I believe it exists. But if it does then I think first off it’s vastly over diagnosed to cover for bad parenting. Secondly, it seems it’s likely related to the changes in our diet and what’s in our food these days that didn’t used to be. It couldn’t have just come out of thin air in the last 30 years. Something is causing it.
Berney WilkinsonPosted on4:05 pm - Mar 6, 2015
It does exist. It is a brain based disorder, when it is actually present. It is over diagnosed and a major component is our diet. Another issue, however, is the school system, which is the main cause of the over diagnosing – more so than parenting.
John HosegoodPosted on4:15 pm - Mar 6, 2015
Now we’re back to the belt/paddle issue. They can’t do that in school either any more. So you get unruly children in school and give the school system no means of managing them so they figure just dope them up.
Berney WilkinsonPosted on4:17 pm - Mar 6, 2015
It is not a behavioral management issue. Paddling or other punishment will not do anything for it. The problem with the school system is that they keep bumping up expectations so that third graders are doing what we did in fifth grade.
John HosegoodPosted on4:18 pm - Mar 6, 2015
Sorry but kids were just better behaved overall when corporal punishment was alive and well at home and in school. When I was a kid every adult in the neighborhood had authority to whoop you if you acted up. Then you got another when you got home after they called your folks and told them. We still had kids acting up and being stupid but nothing like nowadays.
John HosegoodPosted on4:19 pm - Mar 6, 2015
Doing away with PE isn’t helping either. Kids gotta burn that energy off.
Berney WilkinsonPosted on4:22 pm - Mar 6, 2015
Yeah, I think that it is dangerous to point at one change as the cause when there have been dozens of major alterations in the system and society over the past few decades. However, I will say that I have just as many patients and kids that I work with who are regularly spanked but still have lots of behavioral issues. BTW, if spanking worked so well, why did we have to be spanked about the same thing multiple times? It really did not work, at least not in a way that generalized to overall behavior.
John HosegoodPosted on4:38 pm - Mar 6, 2015
I think it’s a means to keep it in check honestly. To make sure things don’t get to an unreasonable level. Yes, we got spanked for many of the same things. But those things didn’t grow to something else because you knew where the line was drawn. I got in a lot of fights as a middle schooler. I went to a rough school. I wasn’t very patient with others when it came to bullying, loud mouths, or anything I considered aggression. I got paddled by the principle every time. Every kid that got in a fight at school weighed it out in their mind. You knew you’d get paddled if you did it but you made the decision that it was worth it sometimes. But you know what we didn’t do? We didn’t knife each other or shoot each other or jump on someone with a gang of people. That happens nowadays because there has never been a line established in the first place. There’s no point of reference to where the line even is so these kids just keep pushing the envelope I think. I don’t think I EVER heard another student cuss a teacher out or God forbid put their hands on a teacher. It’s a normal occurance now. WHY? Because of crappy parenting and no real repurcussion. If kids from a young age get smacked in the butt when they talk back then it’s pretty unlikely they’ll grow older and decide it’s OK to cuss the teacher out I think.
Berney WilkinsonPosted on5:03 pm - Mar 6, 2015
Man. So many things to say about all of that. First off, I think we agree that parenting is different now than it was 30 years ago. However, I have to assume that you are not suggesting that spanking = parenting. I also assume that you are not suggesting that you did not knife anyone when you were in school just because you were spanked. The reason you did not do those things is because you were parented. Meaning that you were taught right from wrong. That may have been done along with the spanking, but the educating happened as well. Too many people assume that the behavior changed BECAUSE of the spanking, when really it was the other stuff. The sitting with you or talking to you about the choice that was made or not made. The bottom line is, do you believe that spanking was NECESSARY for you to grow into a healthy adult? For 80-85% of us, the answer is an absolute NO. For most of us, spanking was not necessary. For the other 15-20%, spanking probably won’t help anyway. Other strategies are needed in those cases.
In developmental pediatrics, medicine, and psychology, we know that spanking has little to no effect on long term behavioral change. That has been proven time and again. Therefore, for those of us who were spanked, we likely gained the skills and knowledge necessary to develop in a healthy way by the information our parents communicated to us, not by the swats we got with a belt. So, to agree with you, the problem is parenting, not spanking.
Finally, gotta bring it back to the main issue, ADHD. By and large, kids with ADHD do not knife people or become violent. They may get frustrated or annoyed, but ADHD does not cause one to be violent. Instead, ADHD, by definition, suggests an inability to consider consequences. Not because they do not understand, but because their brain responds too quickly for them to think it out. As such, knowing that a they will get a spanking because of a behavior is not more likely to stop the behavior as knowing that they could break their neck if they jumped out of the tree they are not supposed to be climbing.
John HosegoodPosted on5:29 pm - Mar 6, 2015
I don’t think there’s ever been a child in the history of the human race that hasn’t deserved a spanking at some point in their development honestly. I believe it’s PART of parenting. I think many folks make lousy decisions about when it is or isn’t appropriate but I believe it’s part of it.
Now before you run out and call DCF on me LOL….. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to spank mine. I think that’s because they know I will. Spanking isn’t parenting by itself but it’s a tool just like conversations, restriction, time out or any of it. Every parent can use the tools in the box or not. As long as your kids know how to act and how to treat others then it doesn’t really matter how you get there in my opinion. But I gotta say that there’s tons of kids out there these days that need belts on their butts a bit more often because obviously the other tools ain’t working too well.
You’re the one who’s has the education in this field. But through experience personally I disagree slightly.
Do you know why the military punishes new privates in basic training with push ups or other physical tasks that make them miserable? Because they have 150 guys with different back grounds that they have 2 or 3 months to get all thinking and acting alike. There is no time to talk with them rehearse menial tasks 100 times over, etc. the physical punishment leaves an impression in their mind and helps burn into their programming that they did wrong. They get more than enough exercise in the morning PT to get in shape without the punishment stuff. It a tool. It’s a tool to help them learn a lesson as fast and efficiently as possible. You tie that mistake to physical discomfort.
Now I don’t know the psychological workings of what’s going on there. You’re an expert there. There’s no doubt and I’d never say otherwise. But I know it’s effective. Just like I know spanking is effective. Something I always say is that if you spank them when they’re young you won’t have to when they’re older.
So if a kid has a definite mental issue then obviously many normal tools won’t work. I just think those kids are the exception rather than the rule which brings us full circle to over diagnoses.
Also, you’re right. I didn’t knife anyone because I was raised right. But that line in the sand was there for a reference point. That line was drawn mostly with a belt or the palm of a hand. But maybe everyone wasn’t as hard headed as me.
Berney WilkinsonPosted on11:09 pm - Mar 6, 2015
No DCF lol. Just disagree. One person’s experience does not generalize to the population at large. I was spanked more than my share, but I know that getting a spanking was not what led me to making the right choices as I grew up. Might it be effective in individual cases, sure. Though, again, it would be my guess that it was the parenting in between the spankings that really make the difference.
I understand that you disagree, but the research is clear that there are significant limitations to the utility of spanking. It is a tool, but an unnecessary one for most people and kids.
Your military example is tough to take for two reasons. First, those military privates are adults, who function – psychologically – very different than children. Second, those military privates chose to be there. Kids, of course, do not choose their parents. If an adult cannot take that type of punishment, they do not go into the military. Kids don’t have that option.
I do understand that I will not change your mind, nor is that my goal. However, I think you sell yourself short by saying that it was your choice to spank that made the difference in raising your kids when it was probably all of the other work you did that ensured that your kids turned out ok.
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