Neal Boortz: "ADD does not exist!"

[athon]

Neal was right... but not in the way you think...

All of you are in here debating whether it's a real CONDITION or not... but you have to realize that while the behaviors and condition are real, the DISORDER is NOT.

It's not a disorder... it's merely a different way of thinking...

It's not something to be fixed... it's something to be handled and dealt with.

Please define disease or disorder, in which case. I'll explain my version.

I'm sure you would agree that Cystic Fibrosis is a disease. It is caused by a mutation that alters a given chlorine channel in the membranes of certain tissues, altering the body's normal process to be able to move fluids in and out of these tissues. Therefore, the person's normal functioning - as contrasted against social expectations - is compromised.

If such a mutation did not compromise the normal functioning of a person, it would not be a disease. Both examples, however, are variations within the human species.

ASD is a set of behaviours that are influenced by an underlying biochemistry. Whether genetic or not, it is still a biochemistry that is sufficiently different enough that these people find added difficulty in modifying aspects of their behaviour in certain 'normal' environments. Therefore, as their normal functioning is impeded in some way, it is by definitiona disease.

As for stating 'it does not need to be fixed', I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. In any situation where a person's normal functioning is compromised, the idea is to not suffer the consequences. If by 'fixed' you mean by directly changing the person's biochemistry, I agree, but I'm sensing for a totally different reason.

It's not something we need to be doping up our kids over... it's something we need to teach them how to deal with, and teach parents and teachers how to deal with.... because they're approaching it all wrong.

Nobody's suggesting that it is right to 'dope' your kids. In most circumstances, drugs are a rather crude way to modify a person's biochemistry. Like fixing a watch with a hammer, basically. Therefore a more productive way is going to be helping change behaviours and environment for the individual. In some circumstances, even this needs assistance through an alternative system that might include drugs.

It's more about realizing that these kids are square pegs that are trying to be forced in to a round hole, and to make that happen, the corners are being cut off... sacrificing a special part of the square peg that makes it what it is...

Indeed. This is the case with a number of diseases; change the environment and it changes the perspective of the disease. Disease is not a simple, black and white classification. Imagine being hairless mammals in an arctic environment. Born that way, especially into a society where everybody had a thick pelt, you would have a disease.

Now, I trust you don't have a thick pelt of fur. Do you have 'hairless disorder'?

It's an attempt to force these poor kids in to a mold they simply don't fit in to. The problem is not the child, it's the curiculum. The problem is not the child, it's the insistance that they THINK LIKE EVERYONE ELSE that is the problem. It's the attempt to force them in to a structure that contradicts how their minds work...

As a teacher, you won't hear me argue about how non-constrictive the curriculum is. I personally think it's a large problem. However, it's one of the larger battles slowly being won by us, with varying success in different countries.

I learned this the hard way, being an ADD kid on ritalin, and ultimately getting OFF the ritalin (do you KNOW what it's like to have your brain shut down?) and learning how to structure my own environment to suit my way of thinking...

As I said, this is often the more successful way of dealing with the condition. I'm glad things have improved for you.

Ritalin ignores and pushes the problem aside... my method addresses it and teaches how to live WITH it and even use it as an advantage.

I think you'd be surprised at how common your method is. The use of environment and behaviour modification has typically been the first step in most cases, although individuals who have found themselves with inappropriate treatments are obviously (and should be) vocal about it, making it seem like a widespread problem.

So no, "Attention Deficit Disorder" doesn't exist. Because it's not a disorder.

Read above definition.

Oh yeah, and about the symptoms?

Read this: http://keirsey.com/addhoax.html

It lists the criteria by which ADD is diagnosed... as far as I know, it's the only "disorder" in the DSM IV where the symptoms of the disorder are also the cause of the disorder... which is absurd on the face of it, but studiously ignored by the psychiatry and drug industries... because apart from depression, ADD is the biggest money maker in the world for them...

Please. Introducing the Big Bad Pharmaceutical line weakens your case seriously. Stick to the facts.

I'm not sure I understand what you mean by 'the symptoms are the cause' statement. Ultimately, the underlying causes of ASD is not known. It is not understood if there are different causes, if there is a genetic element, if it is an environmental deficiency... so arguing about the cause is more complicated than that.

As for the symptoms, they are a form of behaviour. Few other symptoms can help in diagnosis, although there may possibly be other associated conditions. But with ASD, the behaviour is heavily influenced by the individual's biology.

Athon