American ADHD vs. French ADHD

1. {
American ADHD
vs. French ADHD
Why are the numbers so
significantly different?
Author: Chandler Owens

2.  Parents
 Doctors
 Counselors
 Teachers
 Anyone working or dealing with children on
daily basis
Target Audience

3.  I made this artifact in hopes to make aware the huge
difference in number of children diagnosed with ADHD in
American and in France
 Why do we have so many more children with this condition?
 Is there anything we can do?
Why?

4.  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic
condition that affects millions of children and often persists into
adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of problems
Definition of ADHD

5.  Difficulty paying attention
 Frequently daydreaming
 Difficulty following through on instructions and apparently
not listening
 Frequently has problems organizing tasks or activities
 Frequently forgetful and loses needed items, such as books,
pencils or toys
 Frequently fails to finish schoolwork, chores or other tasks
 Easily distracted
 Frequently fidgets or squirms
 Difficulty remaining seated and seemly in constant motion
 Excessively talkative
 Frequently interrupts or intrudes on others' conversations or
games
 Frequently has trouble waiting for his or her turn
Symptoms of ADHD

6.  9% of children in the United States have been
diagnosed with ADHD
 Only 0.5% of children in France have been
diagnosed for the same
Let’s Look at the Numbers

7.  US psychiatrists state that ADHD is a biological disorder that can
be treated with biological medications
 There is no scientific evidence of this
 French psychiatrists believe it to be a medical condition resulting
from situational causes
 The French believe in treatment by finding the root of what could
be causing stress on the child, not medication
 More of a social aspect than a brain aspect
The Main Difference

8.  The definition of ADHD in France is much more narrow, resulting
in fewer diagnosis
 The French have a classification known as CFTMEA
 This focuses on finding the true root of the psychosocial problems
 Rather than just giving medication
 Counseling is number 1
 American has a classification known as DSM
 Most children are given medicines, such as Adderall, to treat the symptoms
of ADHD
 Instead of figuring out what could be causing these things
When making the
diagnosis

9. DIET
 Preservatives, artificial ingredients, chemicals all play
a role in our brain function
 American food isn’t known for its “health” benefits
 We are a pretty unhealthy country
 French food is much more fresh and free of fake
ingredients
 When a child is diagnosed with ADHD in France, the
diet is one of the first things to be examined
 In America, the diet gets ignored with most children
Other Factors

10. Child Rearing
 How a child is raised varies parent to parent
 It also varies significantly from America to France
 France: more strict and structured
 American: more laid back and leisurely
 The French emphasize self control in children early on,
which results in adolescents and young adults who know
how to control themselves
 In the US, children are more free to do as they please and
act out how they want, resulting in uncontrolled
behavior
Other Factors

11. TV
 Any shows geared toward children under the age
of 3 are banned in France
 Not so much in the United States
 TV has been shown to cause attention and
concentration problems
 Studies are shown that watching TV at a young
age can slow development
 America has numerous shows aimed at children of
three years and younger
 This isn’t saying that French children don’t watch TV, it is just
not supported and encouraged as much as it is in America
Other factors

12.  France –find and treat the root of the social
causes for the ADHD
 America – treat the symptoms and cover them
up enough to be dealt with
**If we can find the stresses and causes, then maybe so many cases in
America can be avoided and our numbers won’t be so high
To Sum it up…

13.  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. (2013, March 5). Retrieved
June 10, 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-
conditions/adhd/basics/definition/CON-20023647

Garbarino, C. (2013, May 20). Why American Kids Have ADHD and French Kids Don’t.
Retrieved June 10, 2015, from
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2013/05/why-american-kids-have-
adhd-and-french-kids-dont/

Jannelli, V. (2014, October 30). Why french kids don't have ADHD? - actually, they do.
Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://pediatrics.about.com/b/2012/03/12/why-french-
kids-dont-have-adhd-actually-they-do.htm

Wedge, M. (2012, March 8). Why french kids don't have ADHD. Retrieved June 10, 2015,
from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/suffer-the-children/201203/why-french-
kids-dont-have-adhd

Wedge, M. (2012, September 22). Why french kids don't have ADHD-Part 2. Retrieved
June 10, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/suffer-the-
children/201209/why-french-kids-don-t-have-adhd-part-2
References