Troubled Teens Resources

When a parent receives any diagnosis for their teen it is imperative that they get more than one opinion. Especially in the area of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder where even mental health professionals will tell you that too many children and teens are being misdiagnosed.

“When Leslie Morley’s daughter was in the third grade, her teacher believed she had a learning disability and tried to put her in remedial classes. When tested for intelligence, however, results showed that she was an extremely bright girl.

Nadia Webb, a neuropsychologist and faculty member at James Madison University, discussed the misdiagnosis of gifted children and adults…”Children are easily misdiagnosed by teachers and administrators,” Webb said.”

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Feedback from colleagues and friends seem to confirm the alacrity with which some teachers jump on to the ADHD bandwagon.Parents with gifted children already recognize them as such and are well aware of those traits that are so easily mis-identified as ADHD when, in many cases, it amounts to little more than boredom.

Elaine’s daughter, a budding musician,was always scribbling new compositions when she should have been doing math. Lyrics filled her mind instead of spelling lists. Her natural shyness coupled with her preoccupation with the music in her head triggered a diagnosis of bi-polar. Thorough testing revealed a mentally healthy, if frustrated, musical prodigy. An extensive search of teen boarding schools and specialty schools produced a private girl’s music academy a few hundred miles away. Though the separation is hard, her daughter’s happiness and academic progress makes it well worth it.

For basic guidance and information on ADHD , visit Troubled Teens.us.

You can’t blame a parent for becoming utterly confused with the whole list of acronyms available to label their troubled teenagers. There is Oppositional Defiant Disorder, ADD, Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. There is bi-polar and conduct disorder and teen depression, all of which increase the liklihood of teen age drug abuse. It takes a heap of courage to sign up to be a parent these days.

So how do you tell if your ADHD child has ODD? What’s to tell them apart? Both disorders present behavior that is irritating and disruptive. But there lies the difference. Your ADHD-er has absolutely no intention upsetting the apple cart. The ADHD kid really rather have no attention drawn to their upsetting behavior at all. Studies point out, that with ODD, it is a different story.

• What is the difference between ODD and ADHD?

• ODD is characterized by aggressiveness, but not impulsiveness. In ODD people annoy you purposefully, While it is usually not so purposeful in ADHD. ODD signs and symptoms are much more difficult to live with than ADHD. Children with ODD can sit still.

• What difference does it make if you have ADHD or ADHD plus ODD?

• A lot! Children and adolescents with ADHD alone do things without thinking, but not necessarily oppositional things. An ADHD child may impulsively push someone too hard on a swing and knock the child down on the ground. She would likely be sorry she did this afterward. A child with ODD plus ADHD might push the kid out of the swing and say she didn’t do it.

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The link above will take you to more on ODD.