Jon Bennett has often written about the huge problem of giving the wrong findings on ADD/ADHD. This concern brings to mind of the old proverb that says: "If you only have a hammer everything looks like a nail!" Modern medicine have become fixated on giving a diagnoses of ADD to children that it becomes the quick and easy final decision on for (This despite the fact that there is no objective barometer used to assess the medical signs!).The consequence of this comes to the fact that a determination of ADD/ADHD can can basically be just what our grandparents called having 'ants in the pants'! On the other hand, it becomes more common that an ADD/ADHD verdict hinders the medical professionals from discovering the true conditions.Research in the last few years are revealing that commonly accepted indications of fetal alcohol use are commonly taken to be ADD/ADHD. Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a very serious disorder that afflict many children whose mothers used too much alcohol while they were yet in the uterus. The depth of the effects FASD has on the physical and mental health of a child can only be tragic and is just one of the explanations as to why alcohol is recommended to not be used during a pregnancy. Some of the most common effects of FASD can consist of:Stunted growth: Children with FASD tend to show up on the lower percentiles in relation to their weight and height.Skull and facial abnormalities: Some studies suggest a strong link between facial and cranial defects and alcohol overexposure.Damage to the central nervous system: Perhaps the most serious impact of FASD is the havoc that it wreaks on the central nervous systemeffect}. This can range from delayed development of the brain to the onset of critical syndromes of the nervous system (e.g. epilepsy and seizure disorders). This damage can also manifest itself in the manifestation of manageable handicaps or in the conditions from growth hinderance. Most commonly seen among these are:- Problems with social/adaptive skillsRecollection difficulty- rash, unable to socially interact in appropriate manner- Sensory problems- Not able to easily perform daily physical tasks appropriate for the age groupTo many this list is easily seen by medical professionals are looking for when attempting to diagnose ADD/ADHD!This information for patients with FASD shows critical results. The indicated research that was administed by the University of Toronto in association with with the Surrey Place Center's Hospital for Sick Children, revealed that children diagnosed with FASD, more than you realize, are not getting the professional help needed because of ADD/ADHD misdiagnoses.The focus was to take 33 children diagnosed with 30 children diagnosed with ADHD), and 34 children that had no condtions attributed to them at all noted was the concern of social involvement. It has been proposed that children with Fatal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder who are not misdiagnosed before the condition advances have a high chance of showing intense issues with behavior if not addressed appropriately. One of the researchers, Joanne Rovet, addressed this by saying "In terms of social cognition and emotional processing, the core deficit in FASD appears to be in understanding and interpreting another's mental states and emotions. These problems with social cognition and emotion processing may underlie the severe conduct problems seen in children with FASD. It is imperative that these children receive assistance in social and emotional processing domains, specifically targeting interventions to deal with their unique deficits."The research emphasizes what has been said many times about the risks that misdiagnoses to ADD/ADHD diagnosis can be. Also, it stresses the importance of drawing the wrong. You have the situations where children who are overall very healthy pulled into a scenerio where they are exposed to risky medications each day. It also keeps, on the other hand, children who need highly professional medical attention such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder from obtaining it because many physicians are almost conditioned not to look beyond the stigma of being ADD/ADHD.If you suspect that FASD could be a factor in your child's problems you should rest assured. There are many wonderful programs to help manage the syndrome exist. It should therefore never be seen as a 'life sentence' to a low functioning and a life replete with issues. The most important thing is to simply get together the resolution to start. It is not uncommon for FASD parents to be slow in looking for assist or make note of the possible overuse of alcohol during a pregnancy because of the reaction to society on the subject. I want to emphasize that allowing the past to direct the future of the child due to the mistakes and errors made is not the right course of action. If you have the courage to seek it you will find that help is offered and in most situations the disorder can be controlled.