Attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD in medical parlance) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood. Far from being a mental illness, ADHD is a different “wiring” in the brain.
It is characterized by 3 symptoms: dysregulation of attention (the child is unable to concentrate for a long time, he has “absences”, he does not finish what he begins …), dysregulation energy (the child has periods when he needs to move, he is impulsive, he cannot keep still …) and dysregulation of emotions (the child has mood swings, he is angry , he does not tolerate frustration …).
According to prevalence studies, 3.5% to 5.6% of children present with ADHD in France. However, according to a recent study published by Sébastien Ponnou, psychoanalyst and lecturer at the University of Rouen-Normandie, these figures would be greatly exaggerated.
Only 0.3% of children affected by ADHD in France
The researcher was interested in the medical data of the Health Insurance and, more specifically, in the prescriptions of psychostimulant drugs against ADHD (Ritalin) and in the diagnoses established by the doctors.
Verdict? “According to our study, the prevalence ofhyperactivity / ADHD in France can be estimated at 0.3% of school-age children, with 0.2% for the prescription of psychostimulants, explains Sébastien Ponnou. These data are particularly robust because they are based on the reality of clinical practices and on doctors’ prescriptions for the general population.“
“Those who think we have at least 4% ADHD are wrong, he adds. They are based on studies that are scientifically questionable. These are telephone surveys delegated to non-specialist operators. There, I show that the results of their studies are 17 times better than reality.“Reassuring!
Read also :
Hyperactivity: effective drugs to treat it
Hyperactive children are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease before age 50
Hyperactivity: are there too many diagnoses?
