No New News That Disorder Is Only A Myth

In his new book, “The Myth of the A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) Child” (Dutton, $23.95), psychologist Thomas Armstrong writes: “A.D.D. appears to exist largely because of a unique coming together of the interests of frustrated parents, a highly developed psychopharmocological technology, a new cognitive research paradigm, a growth industry in new educational products, and a group of professionals (teachers, doctors and psychologists) eager to introduce them to each other.” He calls A.D.D. a “myth” and says that with close inspection, “we discover that - as with the disappearing Cheshire cat in Lewis Carroll’s classic children’s tale - all we’re really left with in the end is the smile, if that.”

For his boldness, Armstrong will no doubt have scorn and ridicule heaped upon him by the “A.D.D. Establishment,” my shorthand for the special interest groups cited in the above excerpt. If my own experience is any indication, they will say he has his head in the sand and is dangerous and that no one should pay attention to him. The A.D.D. Establishment has every reason to be chewing their fingernails over Armstrong’s book, because parents who read it just might be persuaded that dealing successfully with an “A.D.D. child” doesn’t require taking out a second mortgage.

And legislators who read it just might be persuaded to repeal legislation that’s granted A.D.D. the status of a disability, thus making parents of A.D.D. children eligible for Social Security Disability doles and forcing schools to do all manner of somersaults to accommodate these children’s supposed special educational needs (under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act).

It is only a matter of time before the threat of A.D.D. litigation begins to cripple the American workplace (and work ethic) the way it is hobbling public education. Armstrong’s book might even cause insurance companies to stop A.D.D. payments.

I know what Armstrong is in for because I’ve been saying essentially the same things he is about A.D.D. for going on 10 years now. During that time, I’ve taken, and will continue to take, my share of lumps. For example, after I wrote that no one has proved A.D.D. is a disease, editors received a flurry of phone calls from all over the country demanding that future columns of the sort be censored.

Psychologists and psychiatrists who specialize in A.D.D. have demanded that newspapers stop giving me space to air my threatening ideas. At least two papers caved in to this pressure, and I recently spoke with editors at two others who have “balanced” my views with those of other, A.D.D.-friendly parenting columnists as a result of pressure from A.D.D. groups.

The fact is, A.D.D. lacks scientific status as a disease; there is no conclusive proof of genetic origin; there is plenty of evidence that environmental factors play a strong role; the diagnosis of A.D.D. does not require the administration of expensive tests; medication is not essential; and so on.

Thanks to Thomas Armstrong and others who are willing to challenge the orthodoxy of the A.D.D. establishment, we may soon see the Cheshire cat of A.D.D. begin fading from view.

John Rosemond is a family psychologist in private practice in North Carolina. Questions of general interest may be sent to him at the Charlotte Observer, P.O. Box 32188, Charlotte, N.C. 28232.