ADHD Myths and Misconceptions

Myth 1: Food Additives And Diet Cause AD/HD.

While much research has been done on the subject of food additives, diet, and AD/HD, this subject remains highly controversial. The following are positions of various authorities on the subject:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus conference (1982) concluded that controlled studies “did indicate a limited positive association between defined [Feingold-type] diets and a decrease in hyperactivity.”
NIMH has subsequently stated that restricted diets such as the Feingold diet “have not been shown to be effective in treating the majority of children or adults with AD/HD.... families risk spending time, money, and hope on fads and false promises.”
The NIH’s current position concurs with that of the Food and Drug Administration largely dismissing diet and food additives as agents that can trigger behavioral problems such as AD/HD.
The FDA has published a booklet (cosponsored with an industry trade association) that stated that “well-controlled studies conducted since then have produced no evidence that food color additives cause hyperactivity or learning disabilities in children,” even though the FDA itself sponsored one study demonstrating that some children are affected by food dyes.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) whose board consists of members of Georgetown Medical Center; Yale Medical School; and Public Health Nutrition, University of California, Berkeley; among others, has found “more than 20 controlled studies of diet and behavior. Most of the studies found that food dyes and, in some cases, other additives and foods provoked symptoms of AD/HD or other behavior problems in some children.” CSPI has urged the federal government to perform further research into the possible link between diet and AD/HD.

With current contradictory information, it is difficult to discern whether diet plays a role in AD/HD symptoms. However, in light of the information presented at the NIH consensus conference in 1982 and the current position of the CSPI, consulting a nutritionist as part of an overall management program for AD/HD may be helpful.

Myth 2: AD/HD Is Only A Childhood Disorder

Until the recent publication of long-term studies, AD/HD was considered a disease of childhood that either greatly diminished or extinguished upon reaching adulthood. However, long-term studies indicate that 70 to 80 percent of children with AD/HD exhibit significant symptoms including impulsivity, restlessness, and distractibility into adolescence and young adulthood. Frequently, these symptoms are accompanied by social rejection, poor academic performance, decreased self-image. Thus, AD/HD is considered a disease that transcends childhood. By conservative estimate, perhaps 2 percent of the adult population has AD/HD.

Myth 3: Poor Parenting Causes AD/HD

To be very clear, poor parenting does not cause AD/HD, however, it likely exacerbates the condition. Poor parenting styles that employ negative characteristics like excessive punishment, and being highly critical, or overbearing may cause lowered self-esteem in children whose lives are already difficult. Some studies have reported that poor parenting may increase the risk of conduct disorders or oppositional disorder. Furthermore, poor management and lack of structure in the home often create poor home environments for AD/HD children. Conversely, establishing a good home environment using structure, positive reinforcement, and strong, consistent behavioral management has proven to be effective. While it is sometimes difficult for parents to establish such an environment from reading a book on the subject, other resources are available including Identifying and Treating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Resource for School and Home from the U.S. Department of Education, and Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) to find a support group near you.

Recent studies have found that genetic factors (heredity), perhaps more than any other factors, are the cause for AD/HD. In instances where heredity does not seem to be a factor, contributors to risk of AD/HD may include prenatal exposure to alcohol or tobacco, high concentration of lead, and difficulties during pregnancy (including significantly low birth weight, and premature delivery).

Myth 4: AD/HD Occurs Less In Girls

Some current research indicates that rates may be relatively equal between girls and boys, however longitudinal studies addressing AD/HD in girls and boys are sparse. Other studies indicate as children, the boy to girl ratio may be 4:1. Pharmaceutical company Lily reports “females are often under-diagnosed among adults, almost as many women as men seek treatment.” Girls typically display fewer behavior or conduct problems than do boys with AD/HD. This may account for lower percentages of girls diagnosed with AD/HD in school samples. The Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health (2001) indicates that girls are diagnosed less frequently and therefore treated less frequently than boys. Further longitudinal research must be performed to understand the rate in which AD/HD occurs in girls.

Myth 5: Too Much Tv Or Video Games Cause AD/HD

While too much TV or video game play does not appear to cause AD/HD they may exacerbate the condition. Two Japanese studies (Mori 2002 and Kawashima 2003) have demonstrated that chronic play of video games actually lowers metabolic rate in the frontal lobes thus diminishing attention, impulsive control, and other executive functions. Another study performed by the Indiana University School of Medicine using functional MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans found the brain activity of aggressive adolescents diagnosed with disruptive behavior disorders (DBD) is different from that of other adolescents when both groups viewed violent video games.

Other studies have reported benefits from video game play including faster response or reaction times to video stimuli as well as increased capability to recognize the number of figures on screen as compared to peers not playing video games. While further study is necessary, careful supervision, screening, and scheduling of television and video game play can be part of a successful home management program.

Myth 6: People With AD/HD Cannot Pay Attention

Oddly enough, people with AD/HD can sometimes hyperfocus. Hyperfocus is the ability to focus on one thing while virtually excluding all else. This is typically related to something of interest to the AD/HD person. Frequently, AD/HD people will hyperfocus on a book, drawing, or task.

07/18/03 - ADHDLibrary.com