I’ve just read One in 14 children (or rather their parents) are currently claiming DLA for ADHD or autism.

I havent retired and currently work in this field. I would say it would be very useful for someone, anyone to analyse what is going on in terms of the increase in numbers of children with autism, every single professional I know is discussing this.

AuntieE

Not holding a degree in medicine, I am not qualified to judge whether all these children really do have ADHD or autism.

As a retired school-teacher, I am inclined to believe that the children with an ADHD diagnosis, do not all suffer from it, but are the victims of the kind of upbringing that has no rules and very few principles, and that one day the children are allowed to do A, the following day A is forbidden and B is allowed. It all depends on the parents' mood at the time.

I am of the generation that believes that children need a few sensible rules, that only change as the children grow older, and are not altered according to the grown-ups' mood.

Any school that allows children to kick, spit, or use verbal abuse is at fault, as is any school that has fifteen year olds who CANNOT READ, and believe me, I have heard of this.

That said, many parents are at fault too, as they are not prepared to deal with two year old tantrums, and thus pave the way for school-children who are basically unteachable.

I am so glad I have retired!

Unfortunately there were too many teachers of your generation with that attitude.
The damage all of you have done is incalculable.
Thankfully my grandson had me and my daughter to fight for him.
I paid for him to have a private diagnosis as all the Drs wanted to do was put him on drugs when all that was needed was a few an adjustment’s in the classroom.

AuntieE

Not holding a degree in medicine, I am not qualified to judge whether all these children really do have ADHD or autism.

As a retired school-teacher, I am inclined to believe that the children with an ADHD diagnosis, do not all suffer from it, but are the victims of the kind of upbringing that has no rules and very few principles, and that one day the children are allowed to do A, the following day A is forbidden and B is allowed. It all depends on the parents' mood at the time.

I am of the generation that believes that children need a few sensible rules, that only change as the children grow older, and are not altered according to the grown-ups' mood.

Any school that allows children to kick, spit, or use verbal abuse is at fault, as is any school that has fifteen year olds who CANNOT READ, and believe me, I have heard of this.

That said, many parents are at fault too, as they are not prepared to deal with two year old tantrums, and thus pave the way for school-children who are basically unteachable.

I am so glad I have retired!

I’m also really glad you are retired!

My autistic daughter is a Primary School teacher, no one is better placed to comment than she currently, the school are incredibly lucky to have her and she has a lovely kind way with her SEND children.

Bad parenting can cause issues, as can lack of boundaries, however the assessments to diagnose these children are pretty thorough and carried out by very experienced, qualified and specifically trained professionals.

ReadyMeals

Anything that 1 in 14 of us have should be considered part of our normal range and taken off the list of disabilities. Unless the condition is over a certain threshold of severity they don't cost more. The child's school can get extra funding for assistants where needed but for most children with the usual milder form of the conditions I can't think why they would cost more to raise or accommodate. Autism especially covers a hugely wide spectrum of conditions and most just have personality quirks that need to be managed rather than expensive special needs. I am not saying the conditions are not real, of course.

Good grief! There are no words!

First an apology. If my previous posts seemed inciherent - they were!. I am away from home and trying to use a kindle Fire, which is currently completely beyond my control or comprehension and between predictive text, and controls I do not understand. Aaagh!

Any way, I have now managed to get access to DH's little laptop.

There is a lot of lazy thinking going on in some posts, AuntieE is one. Children with ADHD do not kick or spit or run round the classroom, or at least a few might, but the vast majority do not. They are not disruptive in class.

As I have said many times. I and my son have dyspraxia and ADHD, dyspraxia diagnosed 40 years ago, ADHD recognised 30 years ago. Neither of us was disruptive or misbehaved at school. I had a very well disciplined childhood, my father was an army officer, son of an army officer, I grew up with clear boundaries and clear rules of behaviour and was generally considered very well behaved. My children were brought up the same way. I now also have a DGS with ADHD. Neurodiversity is known to be genetic. It is likely that my father was autistic.

Neither me, my son or grandson have been disruptive in school. DGS and I do find it difficult to sit still. We wriggle and jiggle and squirm on our seats and shake our feet or wiggle our fingers. As a child I was known as 'Fidgety Phil who can't keep still' I still am. DH says if he ever sees me sitting prefectly still he will know I am dead. But none of us have got out of our chairs and run round a classroom shouted at a teacher , kicked and spat or done any of the other things people say children with ADHD do.

Much of the problem is mental, difficulty concentrating is a real problem - then hyper concentrating, unable to cope with distraction, to control a mind that is sometimes bouncing like a pea in a pan.

A disproportionate number of those who are academically bright are neurally diverse. Many highly creative and talented people are neurally diverse. Many of us are successful academically and go on to career success.

The reason so many people are being diagnosed with neurally diverse problems now is because it is only recently that those involved in psychological circles have really understood neural diversity and begun to recognise it, first in children, and now in all those adults who have struggled for most of their lives, knowing, like me that they were 'odd' but not knowing why. We are getting 80 years of diagnoses in one go.

Having said all that I can see little reason for the majority of children with ADHD to be on any kind of disability benefit, nor for many to need special education. It takes very little effort to make minor adjustments to accommodate such children.

I can remember talking to my son's teachers about his tendency to not concentrate in class and disappear into a world of his own. ADHD was not known to any of us then, but one teacher would not allow him to have any books on his desk, another just kept asking him questions. another made him sit in the front desk. DGS's teachers are a bit more lenient with him when he forgets to bring everything to class, they may chide him, but not punish him. He has other health problems and again, it has required very minor adjustments by teachers to deal with it.

When out for lunch recently with my DB and DSiL we were talking about the number of people being diagnosed with ADHD etc, and we couldn’t recall many people behaving badly as some people do now and who blame it on their condition. My DB and I could only recall one girl in our school who’s behaviour was extremely bad, but you could tell from a look on her face and you knew to get out of her way because everything would be sent in all directions including her hands, feet and any furniture close by was used as weapons

Btw, classes do not get extra help or schools additional funding until said child has been fully assessed and has either an EHCP (Educational Health and Care Plan) or Statement of Special Education Needs in place and even then it is very rare to get high enough funding for a full time 1-2-1 Teaching Assistant or Learning Support Assistant.

That isnt true for the early years, schools can apply for funding without an ehcp. Schools would certainly collapse in our area if that wasnt the case.

Generally what is happening now due to numbers is that many schools are creating specialist units within their mainstream school.

I’m just shocked, saddened and despairing of some of the comments and ignorance on this thread. It’s very easy to be dismissive of all sorts of things when it hasn’t entered your own family’s orbit. The struggle and long wait to get a diagnosis at present for neuro diverse children is horrendous in many parts of the country. Then a diagnosis does not guarantee the appropriate support will be put in place or even adhered to in some schools. I’ve seen 1st hand the distress and mental ill health that this can cause. However I have also seen how young people can thrive and “fly” both academically and personally in supportive environments. I could not be more proud of my neurodiverse granddaughters and their parents, believe me it’s been a hard road with many tears shed along the way - including my own. Thank goodness for the voices of reason (you know who you are) on this thread, these are just the sort folk my granddaughters have needed to cheer them on.

Thanks MOnica for your recent post.

The increase in diagnosis of autism in its various forms is in part due to greater awareness in schools, parents, health professionals.
We used to ship many children who struggled in main stream. off to residential boarding schools. No doubt many of them were on the spectrum, or living with dyslexia/dyspraxia etc or adhd. Wretched places and inclusion, or small special schools is a much fairer, less damaging approach.
As well as greater awareness, I’ve seen concerns about the possible impact of the chemicals that surround us.

What is the data source for this?

It’s very easy to be dismissive of all sorts of things when it hasn’t entered your own family’s orbit

Ain't that the truth.

Also it's increasingly difficult for some people to comprehend that more than one thing may be occuring at once. A child may have additional needs and be dealing with poor boundaries at home. Or have an ideal home life and additional needs.

Kayteetay1

What is the data source for this?

Oh no need for that. Off the top of the head. Light the blue touch paper and sit back.

glasshalffullagain

*It’s very easy to be dismissive of all sorts of things when it hasn’t entered your own family’s orbit*

Ain't that the truth.

Also it's increasingly difficult for some people to comprehend that more than one thing may be occuring at once. A child may have additional needs and be dealing with poor boundaries at home. Or have an ideal home life and additional needs.

Ain’t this the truth

Galaxy

That isnt true for the early years, schools can apply for funding without an ehcp. Schools would certainly collapse in our area if that wasnt the case.

Sorry of course you’re right, I should have specified that I was just looking at it from additional resource, long term, from an LSA

I am sure it is probably different as they get older, I only deal with the littlies

Kayteetay1

What is the data source for this?

Google provides many research programmes that confirm the increase anyone working in any capacity with children and families will be aware of. There is a big increase in the diagnosis of ASD.
A Guardian article in March 2024 found a 787% rise in the number of diagnoses between 1998 and 2018 in the UK. 80 years ago, autism was thought to affect one in 2,500 children. That has gradually increased and now one in 36 children are believed to have autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
The consensus seems to be that there is no plausible reason to conclude there is an increase in children or adults with ASD, it’s that clinicians recognise it and there is broadening of diagnostic criteria

In my family circle, a 72 year old who previously saw his now adult son as a challenge (despite adult assessment adhd)nhas been researching because his grandchild is under assessment. The grandfather has been researching, reading etc and now recognises he is neuro diverse and his genes are in the family. It’s improving relationships and wouldn’t have happened if the Senco at his grandchild’s school hadn’t recognised the need for additional support for a delightful, kind, helpful, bright 6 year old

My grandaughter has autism and her parents are struggling to cope with her needs. Her school is underfunded and understaffed (like many schools, sadly) and are also finding it difficult to cope. She is not a 'badly behaved' child as some of you here seem to think. Autism and adhd are neurological and developmental disorders and appear on a wide ranging spectrum. Please do not judge these kids (or adults). Neither they nor their parents are faking it.

It’s definitely on the up I can see £signs as soon as they ask for a diagnosis!

Harris27 - are you involved in diagnosis

Iam64

Harris27 - are you involved in diagnosis

No but somebody knows somebody who was a doctor so that's nearly the same?

It was undiagnosed years ago.

However, I do wonder if poor diet or some of today's fast foods or non-foods could be a factor in such conditions as ADHD?

Slushies were mentioned as a potential hazard for children on the news this evening as an ingredient, glycerol, can be toxic to young children. In the drive to reduce sugar from our diets by Governments, such sweeteners as glycerol, aspartame etc are increasingly used and could be counter-productive and in some cases, dangerous.

glasshalffullagain

Kayteetay1

What is the data source for this?

Oh no need for that. Off the top of the head. Light the blue touch paper and sit back.

Stop being silly.

Musicgirl

I have a son who is autistic and went to a special school. We had to fight really hard to get the correct diagnosis for him back in the nineties. He has done very well, but will always be vulnerable. I worked at his school for some years and saw different disabilities including ADHD. It was almost a case of peeling these children down from the ceiling when they were in certain moods. My daughter has mild Asperger's syndrome, but the traits are obvious. I have taught children with dyslexia, ADHD and autism, most of whom were in mainstream school and who very obviously had these conditions. However, l have noticed the rise in diagnoses in children who have no appearance of any syndrome whatsoever. Nearly all these children seem to be from middle class homes. There is even a "syndrome" called ODD. This stands for Oppositional Defiance Disorder - my definition would be a very naughty child who is answering back. I think my favourite definition, which I once read,for the many dubious ADHD diagnoses is Adults Don't Have Discipline.

Thank you for this Musicgirl. You present the other side of the coin, that dies exist, in a n informed yet empathetic way.
Bravo.