Kevin Dorner

So far in our recent collection of located mutations that are clearly identified as such and have some survival benefit, there have been threads on sickle-cell anemia and lactose tolerance (intolerance is the "normal" form.)

<a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/healthscience/134402614_genetics10.html" target="_blank">This article</a> discusses ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) as being a beneficial mutation historically.

phlebas

Ummm... sorry if I'm behind the times, but when did they determine ADHD was a mutation?

Last I read, they hadn't identified the cause of it enough to really label it a proper disease -- more of a behavior abnormality, treatable with (depending on what you believe) Ritalin or proper exercise and nutrition.

Interesting enough article, but I don't think ADHD belongs in the same discussion with cystic fibrosis.

excreationist

Actually, some people see ADD/ADHD as being perfectly suited to the lifestyles of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. Then we became farmers only several thousand years ago.
see <a href="http://www.thomhartmann.com/hunterfarmer.shtml" target="_blank">Thom Hartmann's Hunter and Farmer Approach to ADD/ADHD</a>

Dr Rick

Sometimes giving mom Valium helps, too; it has almost become fashionable to have one's children labeled ADD when one has difficulty coping with the formidable pressures of parenting.

That is not to say that there aren't children with some serious attention disorders; their are, but the label seems over-utilized.

ksagnostic

Probably overutilized in some areas, and underutilized in others. More to the point, ADHD is a garbage can term that describes apparent attention and/OR impulse control issues that can not be attributed to an otherwise identifiable etiology (such as auditory processing disabilities). The impulsive ADHD type may be over identified, but attention difficulties without the feature of impulse control/"hyperactivity" may be underidentified.

NialScorva

For a couple references:
<a href="http://www.flash.net/~cooljazz/mssw/adhd.html" target="_blank">http://www.flash.net/~cooljazz/mssw/adhd.html</a>

You can find more by simply searching on "genetic ADHD"

ADHD is defined by DSM-III. However much like back pain, it's sometimes hard to figure out whether it's real or a symptom of other issues such as depression or audial comprehension problems. And much like back pain, a lot of drugs are being given out unnecessarily. Unfortunately unlike back pain, there's a lot of people who don't suffer from it that claim it doesn't exist, which doesn't make life any easier for those of us who've worked our asses off for years trying to overcome it only to be told we have willpower issues or suffer from a non existent malady.

Please forgive me if I'm a bit touchy over this issue.

ksagnostic

I, for one, don't blame you.

phlebas

Hey, no offense meant, Nial

I've just noticed what seems to be a huge increase over the years of people rushing to put their kids on Ritalin. I don't think it's a coincidence that this increase coincides with reports that American children are getting less exercise, watching more TV, and eating more sugar-laden processed food and fewer green veggies.

I do *not* mean to imply that there are real, honest-to-Zeus cases out there where people need some sort of treatment. But I think Ritalin and drugs like it are being overprescribed for whenever a 2nd grader acts up in class.

Also, I read someplace that schools get some extra financial aid for each child "diagnosed" with ADHD. But I never got around to verifying that on my own, so I don't know how true that is.

I equate it to people like Jesse Jackson shouting "racism!" every time a black person gets arrested by a white cop. All that hysteria dulls our senses and makes it harder to identify true cases of racism.

There was an article a year or so ago in Skeptic magazine about ADHD. I'll have to see if I can track that one down.

Kevin Dorner

phlebas: I can agree to this because I was one of the kids misdiagnosed (I don't have true ADHD hyperactivity, I was merely an active youngster) and prescribed Ritalin when I didn't need it at all.

I don't know if it has anything to do with diet or entertainment as much as doctors being paid to overprescribe unneeded medications, and parents who think that anything within the usual deviation of child behaviour is "abnormal" and that any "abnormality" must be immediately corrected. Time and maturity is often the best correction.

{edit: spelling}

[ February 11, 2002: Message edited by: Kevin Dorner ]</p>

Morat

I know a child who truly does need medication. I've interacted with him quite a bit both on, and off, the medication, and the difference is huge.

His mother is an educator with quite a bit of training and experience dealing with active children.

This boy is the poster child for real ADHD cases.

On his medication, he's fully capable of watching a half-hour cartoon, of playing a video or board game, and remains an energetic child. More energetic than most.

Without it, he can't do any of it. He simply cannot keep still. The only thing this child can really do, without his medication, is something that involves running around constantly with little or no structure.

I did hear, though, that a PET scan can determine ADHD in a patient. However, it's cheaper and easier to put them on Ritalin or Chlonidine, and see if it changes anything.

Plus you don't have to place a hyper and easily distracted child into a PET machine and convince him or her to perform complex mental tasks.