The incidence of autism spectrum disorders has gone up way to much to be accounted for by increased diagnosis, etc. A lot of people think it is the mercury in the vaccinations, but supposedly recent studies have shown otherwise. I have also heard the theory that it is related to the increased use of prenatal ultrasounds, which raise the temperature in the baby's cells.

Forty years ago when I was a kid, we actually had recess, often up through 8th grade. If you are a high energy kid, much less one with ADHD, time to run around is absolutely essential. It also used to be safer, or at least seemed safer, to play outside for hours at a time or to walk home from school. Twenty years ago everyone walked to a neighborhood elementary school in my town, and there were school crossing guards. Now you would have to be out of your mind to let your 6 or 7 year old walk there, all alone, crossing busy streets by himself.

Some things have improved considerably. When I was in elementary school, there was a boy who was absolutely obsessed with trains. That is all he talked about. He probably had Asperger's. Today he would receive services. Back then the poor kid was just considered "weird," and he was teased unmercifully. When I was 5 or 6, there were certain sounds I could not say. Today I would have been in speech and language like my daughter has been. Back then the teacher yelled at me for mispronouncing a word that everyone else could say. Kids who had difficulty focusing or organizing were called lazy, and often dropped out in high school. My child who has executive function disorder and a language disability recently graduated with an Associates Degree with High Honors. I am glad that I and the school system recognized the disability, and did not attribute it to laziness.

TOS - I agree with you! I find that this generation lacks the activity that I know I did when I was a kid, and I'm only 25. I walked to elementary school and road a bike to middle school, was out playing until the street lights came on. But these days kids sit in front of the TV or on the computer. I know that disorders are easily diagnosed these days and sometimes miss diagnosed just to pacify the upsets of a child. I think there would be less mental diagnoses if parents were more active in there children's lives and less likely to have the TV do all of the baby sitting.

When we were having behavioral issues with my eldest SS we sent him to counciling - after 40 minutes with the doctor he was diagnosed with ADHD. Both myself and DH balked at this and refused to medicate him (I've seen this boy sit and read a book for 3 straight hours there was no way he was ADHD). In actuality the only thing wrong with SS was a complete lack of structure and discipline by BM. Funny enough, less than 6 months of living with us with 'rules' and he's at the head of his class. The point - yes you are right scaruso, parents/doctors/teachers these days seem to find it much easier to deal with children if they can excuse their behavior as a 'medical condition' rather then try to say 'no' or hand out consequences.

I agree hole heartedly that ADD and ADHD has become a crutch for a society of blamers. Instead of raising their children it is easier to label and drug them.

I have two "hyper" children, but like sieryn, instead of listening to the "labeling" that was attempted we have worked with our children. My oldest is a Senior in High School, and had a 3.0 Junior year. He has NEVER been medicated and learned to adhere to the structures of the classroom and society, not the other way around.

My youngest is 6-1/2 going on 18 :-), but he also is being taught the consequences of misbehaving and went from a horrible first week of school, to a completely angelic 2nd week of school, as his TV and video games had been removed. Go figure.

I will never take the stance that there are zero cases of ADD or ADHD. I know there are children who honestly have needs, but we need to stop being so quick to take the easy road and begin again to raise our children.

My attorney affectionately refers to these diagnoses as a crutch for "bratty child syndrome."

I'm sure these illnesses all exist. Take the number of children diagnosed every year and multiply by 1%. The result is the number of real cases ;-P

Did anyone see the Associated Press story about the study of ADD and ADHD kids?

It doesn't dismiss the disorders as being nonexistant, but it points out a better way to handle them than drugs.

Here is a link that might be useful: AP story about ADD, ADHD kids

Even after my son was "diagnosed" with ADHD ... I still refered to is as SRS .... spoiled rotten syndrome... I made him that way yes its my fault .... he was a sickly baby who cried constantly in pain so if I could give him "A" when he cried I did ... if "A" did not work I gave him "B" sometimes "C". I saw the error of my ways when he was about 5ish ... still at 15 dealing with the side effects of SRS but it has improved.

You did not spoil your infant son by responding to his cries. Infants can not be spoiled. Responding to an infant's distress gives him an sense of security essential to his well-being.

I know the difference between comforting and spoiling and I definately spoiled.