Potential Dangers of Misdiagnosing Dyslexics with ADHD

[Hope]

Beware of the moral hazard's and potential damage to health and cognitive functioning of being misdiagnosed as a dyslexic with ADHD and subsequently being prescribe powerful stimulant medications. This may do more harm than good. John F. Kennedy, in reference to him taking doctor prescribe stimulant medications while he was the President of The United States said: that he did not care what the medication were, so long as they work. This more politely worded paraphrase of the President's, I believe captures the sense of desperation many people with dyslexia and other serious life altering disabilities feel. It also speaks to the sense of urgency many dyslexics feel about overcoming their disability and their willingness to trying new, controversial and potentially harmful medications. In retrospect, it has been speculated that these stimulant medications that were prescribed to the President, in the long run did him more harm than good.

I have recently did an Internet search on famous people with dyslexia, then did one on famous people with ADHD. I have discovered that many of both of these advocacy groups claim the same famous people as having their disability. Further, I have found other Internet sites that dispute that many of these famous individuals have or had dyslexia or ADHD. There does seem to be a lot of gray area when it comes to describing or even diagnosing people as having dyslexia and/or ADHD. This issue is further complicated by the generally acknowledge, over diagnosing/prescribing and the off label use of these medications by college students and others. I, myself, was diagnosed as having ADD by a pediatrician, when I was in my late twenties, study for the medical school exam. Of cause, the reader can appreciate the desperation I felt, as a dyslexic attempting to successfully take the medical school exam, and my willingness to grasp at straws, or anything that world help me accomplish my goal and ambitions. The personal stakes were so very high, and the consequences of failure, I thought, were so brutal.

I am not a medical doctor and can only offer some personal anecdotal information as a dyslexic who was later in life diagnosed with the additional learning disability of ADD or ADHD and spent many years afterward taking powerful stimulant medications. In retrospect I have serious concerns about the accuracy of the doctor's diagnoses and my long term usage of these medications and the potential harm they may have caused me. Additionally, looking back over the long period that I was taking these medication, I am now questioning to what degree, if at all, they have helped improve my learning abilities and quality of life.

Sincerely,
Hope