Slashdot Mirror
A Million Kids Misdiagnosed with ADHD?
Jamie was one of several people who submitted links to a story proclaiming that as many as a
million kids were misdiagnosed with ADHD simply for being the youngest and therefore least mature in their classes. Worse still, I wonder how many of those kids are permanently put on drugs.
I have two younger siblings who are on ADHD medication. They are lively fun people to be around when they aren't on their medication (usually during the summers when they aren't at school because my parents believe the medication will magically bring about better grades). On the other hand, they are zombies and very different people when on the medication. It kills their appetite and they are much less outgoing, it is a very noticeable difference.
"Friend of mine is Doctor working for the UK National Heath Service and he's told me about how they can be offered cash incentives for prescribing certain drugs, particularly antidepressants."
I'm sorry, but having worked quite extensively for the NHS in the past, a family almost entirely consistening of medics (2 aunts, 2 uncles, my father, my sister) and plenty friends who are medics *and* drug reps, I can tell you that is complete and utter twaddle.
The idea that doctors are routinely getting off their heads on "coke and hookers" at the drug company's expense has zero grounding in reality.