Thoughts:
--The people studied were diagnosed when ADHD was not yet a household word. They would probably be among those with the more severe and obvious ADHD.
--The risks associated with ADHD are associated with, not caused by ADHD. Important distinction.
--Point: The DSM ADHD definition (and for that matter the autism definition) was designed for children. Rather glad the lecturer realizes this.
--Lower IQs among people with ADHD are probably completely explained by deficits in working memory and attention. IQ doesn't equal intelligence for this group.
--Interviewing parents of children who have moved away from home may actually not be as reliable as the lecturer thinks because these parents' memories of their children while their children were still at home will influence their judgment of the childrens' current symptoms. The lecturer's study did not study whether or not children still living with their parents had the same discrepancy in self-report versus parents' report. Insight definitely seems to be improving as people age, but the gap may not be as big as they think.
--Note that while ADHD symptoms do not actually disappear in most people, they do show improvement--they are "catching up" with their typical peers, and this development continues into adulthood so that less stringent criteria are necessary to diagnose adult ADHD. The lecturer over-emphasizes impairment and does not note that improvement almost inevitably happens, even if the delay remains.
--That ADHD affects you even if you "outgrow" it (no longer show symptoms) should prompt people who diagnose children and put them on medication to realize that medicating them is not enough because the delay is still present. Education is also necessary. The vast majority of ADHD children do not receive it. Assuming that earlier medication management will solve the problem is still an unproven hypothesis.
--Interesting point: People with ADHD, in adulthood, tend to pick jobs that reduce the negative impact of ADHD on their lives (and, presumably, take advantage of the positive aspect): Physical jobs; highly stimulating jobs; military jobs; self-employment.
--Apparently the military has a problem with ADHD--unless you haven't taken medication for a few years, you're not allowed to join! But if you're newly diagnosed once you're already in, you can be treated and stay. Uuhh... double standard much? The lecturer believes ADHD does not convey any benefits... which IMO is not true... and does not recommend disclosure.
05 Dec 2008, 1:44 pm
