There are many misconceptions about ADHD. Here are some of the most common:
1. Consuming too much sugar causes ADHD. There have been an abundance of articles about the correlation of ADHD and food. Sugar and food additives have been the primary food types implicated in the cause of ADHD. It is important to know that symptoms of hyperactivity could be triggered by certain foods, but the diagnosis of ADHD is more comprehensive than just hyperactivity. ADHD is a set of complex of behavior and is generally hereditary, lifelong and often debilitating.
2. Poor parenting causes ADHD. ADHD is not caused by the way a parent responds to a child. However, learning good techniques for handling a child with hyperactivity can be invaluable.
3. Poor self-control is the cause of ADHD. It is a widely held belief that all individuals with ADHD would do so much better if they would just start controlling their impulses and learn to make better decisions.
4. Doctors over diagnose ADHD. Some people suggest that doctors have created the diagnosis. The incidence of ADHD is increasing, but not because doctors are making up the diagnosis. We are living in a society that a large number of individuals have trouble functioning in life because of symptoms that are real, and likely to be related to ADHD.
5. ADHD is outgrown. It is important to understand that ADHD can be a lifelong problem. Sometimes, the smptoms are not diagnosed until adulthood. Perhaps an individual will be on medication and able to function normally, but the symptoms will be present always, manageable or not. For the majority of individuals, this condition does not go away in adulthood.
Resource: http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/a-doctors-personal-take-on-adhd/5-myths-about-adhd/