Speed up and sit still : the controversies of ADHD diagnosis and treatment

Speed Up and Sit Still, covers complex material about ADHD in an easy-to-read format aimed at parents, teachers, medical professionals, policy setters and the community at large. The Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) debate is an emotive issue which has been simmering in the medical and general community for years. Parents who decide to treat their children with ADHD medications and who welcome the changes in their child's behavior have a heavy emotional investment in believing they are helping their children. But, for some time, there have been concerns about possible misdiagnosis and over-prescription of ADHD medications. In the long term, are amphetamines and other psychotropic drugs good for inattentive and impulsive children? How robust is the medical evidence on the symptoms and diagnosis of ADHD? Are children being medicated with amphetamines for a disorder whose existence is open to debate? In Speed Up and Sit Still, author Martin Whitely dissects the issues around what he calls the ADHD industry and finds that his long journey through the ADHD debate has included many surprising twists and turns. He tackles both sides of the issue in clear readable language and finds that the ADHD debate, like an onion, has many layers.

What exactly is ADHD and why have diagnosis rates exploded? Is there a scientific basis for defining a set of childhood behaviours as a disorder and do children actually benefit from current treatments? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood psychiatric disorders in the Western world. The Australian Government estimates over 350, 000 children are affected, with over 57, 000 medicated for the disorder. Speed Up and Sit Still explores the origins and development of ADHD and the various players in the debate. Bound to be controversial, it is a must-read for all parents, teachers and medical practitioners.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood psychiatric disorders in the Western world. The Australian Government estimates over 350,000 children are affected, with over 57,000 medicated for the disorder. But what exactly is ADHD and why have diagnosis rates exploded? Is there a scientific basis for defining a set of childhood behaviours as a disorder and do children actually benefit from current treatments? Speed Up and Sit Still explores the origins and development of ADHD and the various players in the debate. Bound to be controversial, it is a must-read for all parents, teachers and medical practitioners. Cover; Speed Up & Sit Still; Title Page; Copyright; Table of Contents; Introduction Martin's ADHD Journey; Diagnosis: Disease, Disorder or Difference?; Amphetamine Deficit Disorder; True Believers; Uncle Sam Knows Best; The Politics of ADHD; The Rise and Fall of ADHD in Western Australia; Conclusion: Where to from Here?; Appendix 1: Strattera's Sad Short Story; Appendix 2: Sydney Repeats Perth's Mistakes; Notes; Further Reading; Index; Acknowledgments