Fussing around trying to find photos to accompany my many posts in the series about ADHD and hyperactivity, I stumbled upon a great article from one of the most “down home” type physicians on the internet, Greg Barrett MD. A professor at a prestigious college, this guy has won many awards from his medical students for just “plain talk” and “making sense”—along with the overall kindness usual with a Pediatrician. Here is a link to his article about ADHD entitled “Errors of commission and omission.”Dr. Barrett’s whole site has been taken over by a “flipper” who wants to sell it. I’ve recovered his articles and am providing them a home here until such time as his site is recovered.
In order to help you know how to judge whether or not you are receiving the best care possible for your child being considered with ADHD, I’ve given you the new standards for diagnosis and showed you a boy (Terry) who was seeing his doctor because of it. Read more →
In this series so far we’ve learned that there are new guidelines for diagnosing ADHD and hyperactivity which should help standardize when a child is “labeled” with the problem. We’ve followed a child through an appropriate diagnostic evaluation and we’ve been reminded that the internet is full of scams which delay children from getting real help.Read more →
Ok, in this series so far we’ve talked about ADHD or hyperactivity, we’ve learned that there are new standardized criteria for its diagnosis and what they are; AND, we’ve even met a 12-year-old and followed him through his whole evaluation and diagnosis.Read more →
We’re going through the top 50 doctors who have made a lasting impact on medicine throughout all time—at least according to a heavily read medical magazine which had its “best people” scratch their heads on the matter several months ago. Read more →
All of us watching this video clip can’t help but believe that Jason will be one of those children who do well in spite of his ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Not all do, largely because they lack the support systems that Jason has.
His grandmother is correct that the “condition” is something that he will have to some extent most of his life; but, its manifestation does change over time as his body and nervous system matures. For some reason, children with this condition seem to take longer to do so.
Additionally, he will learn other coping mechanisms including finding a life’s work that will fit with his temperament and skills. And things will get a lot easier for learning.
The true blessing in what we’ve watched for Jason, and any child with ADHD, is making it into maturity with confidence, hope AND a self-image which doesn’t do them harm.
Now that we’ve gotten to know him, I hope we get to see some follow-up in the coming years. We’re all rooting for you bud!
Of the many children I’ve seen with this issue, let me introduce you to Terry. He is a real boy… well, a couple real boys and a girl actually so my example could be clearer and, of course, not break any confidentialities.Read more →
I have to tell you that most issues of childhood dealing with an emotional, behavioral or psychiatric diagnosis are NOT… let’s say… “favorite” issues for busy physicians to deal with.Read more →
If you’re looking for a “first case” of this hyperactive problem don’t bother. I’ve tried and there’s nothing definitive—excepting a whole boat-load of historical people who’ve acted crazy enough that they coulda’ been!
Even the name for the thing has changed four or five times since I did research on “hyperactivity” in medical school as an honors project some ty years ago! Read more →
Continuing our historical description of the top 50 most influential doctors in history we come to #44, Victor McKusick known as the father of medical genetics. Can you even comprehend what it means to have been the “inventor” or “founder” of an entire field of medicine? I’m not sure I can. Read more →
Ok, ok, ok! I’ve been informed more than once this week that two other bugs have an affinity for human flesh and are seen just as often, at least in the warmer climes. I admit I had forgotten about the more, let’s say: “winter challenged” (equatorially inclined) portions and desert areas of this great world where both ticks and fleas flourish. Read more →
There are lots and lots of things that cause rashes in children and we’ve spoken about them several times before. There are fewer problems that cause rashes that itch and less caused by things that bite— although that’s still more than in a world I would create… if it were me. Read more →
