ADHD overdiagnosis is harming gifted children

"More and more children are being labeled as inattentive or impulsive, and many are receiving medication, which can be as unnecessary as it is harmful. This is not only due to the potential and as-yet-undocumented long-term consequences of altering a still-developing brain that doesn't require it with psychotropic drugs, but also because of the implicit message it conveys: You're not okay, you have to take pills."

"Much of this stems from teachers' limited training on how the brain works and how gifted students learn. Teachers are the first observers, but without specific training, they tend to pathologize behavior. A bored student may come across as inattentive, and one who asks questions, as disobedient. As psychologists Juan E. Jimenez and Ceferino Artiles point out, a lack of understanding of advanced cognitive development leads to labeling adaptive behaviors indicative of talent as pathological symptoms."

"Gifted children process information very quickly and their attention is selective. They concentrate deeply when something interests them, but tune out when faced with monotony, repetition, or slowness. Unlike ADHD, their attention is not impaired, but rather influenced by motivation, challenge, and the complexity of the task. Their divergent thinking may manifest as off-topic questions or creative interruptions, easily mistaken for impulsivity."

ADHD diagnoses have multiplied and many children receive medication that can be unnecessary and potentially harmful to a developing brain. Overdiagnosis often results from confusing giftedness with inattention or impulsivity. Behaviors labeled pathological frequently reflect a mismatch between a child's pace and the educational environment. Limited teacher training on brain function and gifted learning leads to pathologizing boredom, questioning, and divergent thinking. Gifted children show selective attention, deep focus when interested, and tuning out during monotony; their attention depends on motivation, challenge, and task complexity. The Ayalga Center published a 2020 study observing executive functions in gifted children.

Read at english.elpais.com