Is the number of kids with ADD, ADHD, OCD etc ??

A. an excuse for parents who cannot dicipline their children?

B. always been the same but now we can diagnose and treat the conditions?

C. The result of environmental factors such as excess TV, excess exposure of EMF to fetuses, parental drug use, lack of exercise, inadequate diets etc?

Please provide your answer and expound.

C. The amount of toxins in today's lifestyle are enormous. As you can see, I have four kids of my own. My daughter (eldest) used to go completely hysterical whenever she didn't get what she wanted. She could not control her emotions. My first son (I have 3), would NEVER do what he was told. I thought they just had difficult personalities, like me. I had depression for years, and I was so "up and down" all the time. I could never predict how I would react to any given situation.

My husband put us all on the FAILSAFE diet and it changed our lives. I now have stable, happy moods. My daughter (6yo) is very helpful, considerate and stable emotionally, my son (4yo) actually considers the things that we say and can be talked around. Previously he was completely stubborn and defiant.

The toxins we removed from our diets include all artificial additives (preservatives, anti-oxidants, colours, flavours). We also removed salicylates, amines and glutamates, which are all naturally occuring chemicals in natural foods. Tomatoes and cheese are some things that used to be staples in our diet, but now we avoid, as they cause bad behavioural reactions in all of us. My son also reacts (behaviourally) to dairy products. (My other two kids are still a bit too young to have diet modification... one still breast fed).

Anyway, IMO, toxins in food and household products (eg shampoo, coloured play-dough, paint, soap, detergent, etc) all play a major role in behavioural problems in both adults and children.

I actually read a study on prison inmates whose diets were changed, and their behaviours became normal!

While parenting skills does play a part in some situations, you've got to ask if the "bad parents" are, like their children, suffering from food intolerance reactions. Getting the diet right helps so much for the whole family.

A. No. The whole blame the parent thing is out of control.
B. Yes. This is a factor
C. Yes. This impacts the severity but does not cause.

b
my daughter has ADHD
her uncle had ADD - they thought he was lazy and slipped through the cracks and quit school at 16
This was an uphill battle we didn't want to put her on medicine but after being tested there was no other option and it has done her a world of guide. It is heartbreaking to watch your child struggle with her homework because she can't focus.

I have ADD and it's not lazyness...i've had to struggle with homework and school...i never took any meds so it was harder...but I did graduate high school and i'm very proud!

I'll go with 'A' - and some parts of 'C' aren't impossible (poor diets, parental drug use) NOT TV--that is not a cop-out for troubled kids.

'B', in my opinion, is not an option. Kids will be kids--some are hyper, some are quiet, some are trouble-makers, etc. Back in the day when parents were home to supervise their kids, and discipline them, this was handled quite successfully with no therapy or medication.

Since nearly all parents are working full-time these days, the schools have taken over--and they recommend medication--for their own convenience--and probably causing a child's individuality to cease existing.

Definately not A, I don't really know about B, but I would say C, maybe, in some circumstances. My son has ADD not the hyperactive one. He was very sick when he was born, his brain was starved of oxygen, he's lucky to be alive. The specialists all said that he may have some learning difficulties when he got to school. Well, they were right. He was put on medication in grade 1, but after a while I stopped giving it to him, mainly because I felt guilty for giving him such a strong drug. But after 2 years of trying other ways, like diet- I cut out all preservatives, additives and colours from his diet and it really didn't do anything. He's now in grade 5 and is taking Ritalin and he is doing so well. People can put me down for it, but do they have a child with same problems? It's either that or have him get upset and depressed because he can't follow the instructions the teacher gives him, forgets everything, and pretty much gets picked on by half the class. He is a very smart boy but just has problems showing it. It's weird though because he can tell you everything about cars, I mean details that most adults wouldn't know. That's what these children are like, it's getting them to renenber the things that don't stimulate them.
Also, I didn't touch drugs when I was pregnant and still don't. I don't think it's got anything to do with that, it's more about genetics, and health issues. You can't blame parents, you should be giving credit to us parents who try sooooo hard.


PS Just a word to mamabear- Do you have a clue? No you obviously don't have a child with these problems. You want everyone to think you know what you are talking about, but you REALLY don't have a clue. It takes a lot of hard work and patience to deal with these problems. If you ask me, it makes us better parents, so maybe learn a bit more about it before you go blaming us GREAT parents.

A bit of all three I think depending on who you talk to or who you know. I know some that have legitimate cases of those illnesses and thank goodness that these cases can be diagnosed today. However I know some parents who did nothing to discipline or spend time with their kids and send them off to day care on state funds because they are lazy. Then the child - Shockingly - becomes a terror. Suddenly they say oh it's ADD. Easier to place the blame elsewhere rather than take responsibility which they have never done in the first place.
My heart goes out to those, however, whose children have been diagnosed.

Most kids diagnosed with ADD, etc. don't really have it. I saw this on Dr. Phil by Dr. Lawless I believe was his name. I believe him, I think it's just a convenient way to calm down hyper kids, especially boys. Teachers love it, too!! If you can't control them, just dope them up!! How can you expect a hyper kid to be able to sit still for 5 hours a day? More P.E. programs might help also better diets, sleep and less TV and video games. Let them outside to play and be kids!!!! I guess it's a little of A and a little of C.