User:Sifaka/Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Controversies
ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. Researchers from the McMaster University Evidence-based Practice Center identified five features of ADHD that contribute to its controversial nature: 1) it is a clinical diagnosis for which there are no laboratory or radiological confirmatory tests or specific physical features; 2) diagnostic criteria have changed frequently; 3) there is no curative treatment, so long-term therapies are required; 4) therapy  often includes stimulant drugs that are thought to have abuse potential; and 5) the rates of diagnosis and of treatment substantially differ across countries.

The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media,

with opinions regarding ADHD that range from not believing it exists at all to believing there are genetic and physiological bases for the condition.

disagreement about the use of stimulant medications in treatment.

Most healthcare providers accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in the scientific community mainly around how it is diagnosed and treated.

Long term effects of stimulants prescribed for ADHD are largely unknown because of a dearth of research. A great deal of research goes into ADHD, some of which raises questions about the long term effectiveness and side effects of medications used to treat ADHD.