More Sleep; A Cure for ADHD?

Sleeping for longer could possibly be a cure for ADHD (Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder), a doctor has claimed.

Dr Vatsal Thakkar, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine, said that more than a third of children are wrongly diagnosed with ADHD and could be simply suffering from lack of sleep.

"I'm sure there are plenty of parents who have been through countless doctors, medications, and other treatments with their children who will bristle at this assertion," he said.  However, the doctor is not saying that ADHD isn't a real thing for some people, he just believes that "a substantial proportion of cases are really sleep disorders in disguise."

Dr Thakkar told the Daily Mail that  there is a similarity between symptoms of ADHD and lack of sleep. The symptoms include hyperactivity, difficulty focusing, aggression, and forgetfulness.

Agreeing with him,  Dr Neil Stanley told the Daily Mirror that there have been increased cases of ADHD children with less sleep. Dr Stanley said children these days get one hour less sleep compared to those 100 years ago. Previous studies too show a link between sleep disorders and ADHD.  

Dr Thakkar also pointed out that it is easier for the doctors to tell parents that their children are suffering from  ADHD rather than to simply tell them that they need proper sleep.

"For some children it may be a diagnosis of convenience. Yet by misdiagnosing sleep-deprived patients as having ADHD, we are not only doing a disservice to those who really have ADHD but may be treating thousands of patients with poor sleep with medications designed to control or modify daytime behavior," he said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 3-7 percent of children are diagnosed with ADHD. Between 2003 and 2007, there were increased cases of the diseases in children aged 4-17 by 22 percent.