A mother's reaction to recent claims that ADHD is 'not real'.

As a parent of a boy with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), I was so excited about the recent release of a revolutionary book called “ADHD is Not Real”. It promised to tell me the cause behind my son’s behaviour. Finally, after all of my years of searching for a cure for my out of control child, there’s a book with all the answers. Hallelujah!

A Behavioural Neurologist by the name of Dr Richard Saul claims to have found the cause for my beautiful boy’s cravings for constant movement and distraction. The breakthrough I have been waiting for is that apparently he has NDI (Neurochemical Distracability and Impulsivity).

My heart skipped a beat. Quick, let’s research NDI and find out how I can help my son. But wait. There is no such disorder. There are no answers. I can’t actually find any references to this new “cause” for ADHD-type behaviour. And according to Dr Saul, the treatment for NDI is Ritalin, the same “band-aid” solution for ADHD!

Hang on, what the hell is going on?

But wait. According to Dr Saul, my son might also have bipolar disorder, or an anxiety disorder, or depression or perhaps a personality disorder. I wonder which anti-psychotic drugs might help these conditions? Or maybe he can’t hear or see properly?

Yes, that’s the answer. My son with an advanced reading level is blind… And I just hadn’t noticed?

I have spent thousands of dollars on reports to find the answer to my son’s behavioural issues.

He’s been tested for auditory processing disorder, sensory processing disorder, psychological disorders, food allergies and food sensitivities. Doctors, psychologists, dieticians, speech therapists, occupational therapists, pediatricians, behavioural optometrists and a professor of Neurobiology have all assessed my son.

Every one of their assessments lead to the same diagnosis – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

How can so many specialists be wrong? Have I wasted all of that time and money for an incorrect diagnosis?

I have come to realise that the title of this book is nothing but a publicity stunt. A marketing tool designed to catch the media’s attention. The existence of ADHD is such a ‘controversial’ topic, but only to those who don’t live with it.

The parents of children with ADHD are already struggling and they don’t deserve to be at the butt end of conspiracy gossip. There’s no funding to help these children, there’s no financial gain for the families. There is, however, loads of ill-informed opinions in the community about poor nutrition and parenting skills.

As I have learnt more about mental illness and childhood mental illness, one thing I have discovered is that these symptoms don’t go away. Without help, they often exacerbate. The effect of announcing that ADHD does not exist is that there will be many children who have challenging symptoms who will now not be assessed for ADHD or any mental illness because we’ve all been told that it doesn’t exist. That, in my opinion, is the tragedy of this book.

I feel sorry for all the parents who will continue to be judged for their poor parenting, but I also feel sorry for Dr Saul. His aim was to raise awareness for better diagnosis of childhood mental illness. Perhaps “Unpacking the Mystery of ADHD” or “ADHD – a Early Warning Sign for Mental Illness” would have been more appropriate titles. Unfortunately, people do judge a book by its cover and thanks to the misleading title of this book, children with ADHD and their parents will only be judged harsher. Nice one, Dr Saul.

The symptoms of ADHD are very real and they’re not caused from a poor diet or bad parenting. ADHD is a neurological disorder with conclusive evidence that it’s caused by the slow maturation of the brain and lack of serotonin, a vital neurotransmitter. It’s physical, it’s challenging, and it needs to be diagnosed before you can get help.

If you’re worried about your child, please see a professional and get them the help they need.

ADHD is real.

Robyn Campbell is the busy mother of three fantastic boys, all on the Autism Spectrum. As well as being a mum and a writer, she runs two photography businesses with her husband. In her spare time, she pastors to kids, runs an entertaining playgroup and is a mad woman on skates while playing roller derby (aka Bustin’ Bubbles). Currently, she is writing her second book that takes a humorous look at living with three children with Aspergers Syndrome and keeping lots of parents entertained with her very popular blog www.mythreeaspies.com.

Do you have a child with ADHD, or do you know someone who has a child with ADHD? How have they coped?