ADHD: An Advantage for Major League Baseball?
ByRecent reports have explained that the number of therapeutic exemptions for Major League Baseball players have gone up over the past year to a rate of almost 8%. This means that the number of MLB players who are taking stimulant medicine for ADHD is almost 8%. To read a report on this, click here.
Here is the core question – are there more MLB players who have ADHD than would be expected in the general population? OR are there MLB players who are trying to ‘fake’ the diagnosis to take medication which is banned as ‘performance enhancing’ by MLB without a valid medical diagnosis?
To answer this question, it is recommended that a panel be put together to review the diagnoses of these players – i.e. to make sure that no one is misusing these medications in MLB.
Recent epidemiological data (research on the rates of disorders) has shown that 4.3% of American adults have adult ADD/ADHD. Is it possible that a young population of baseball players (who are all male, and high performing) could have a rate of ADHD at almost 8%?
It seems possible, and certainly not impossible.
While we await more information for the possible review – the question is: does having ADD/ADHD actually provide an advantage for those who want to play Major League Baseball?
I’m not sure of the answer, though I wonder.
I certainly hope that this new information inspires young boys who’ve been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD to realize that anything can be possible for them – including a carreer in the ‘majors’.
In my clinical practice, I’ve seen a couple of teens with ADHD who play high level baseball (i.e. aiming for the ‘majors’) who did very well with their stimulant medicine.
What do you think?
Do you have any experience with ADD/ADHD and baseball?
Best,
Dr. Kenny
5 Comments
January 26th, 2009 at 10:48 am
I would like to see this study expanded to athletes that participate in high risk sports. I have been a NASCAR fan for the last 20 years and I am sure that the people who have ADD is NASCAR comes in around 25%. The high risk coupled with the need for hyperfocus for 4 hours during a race is a great sport for us ADDers.
January 29th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
Hi there, my 11 1/2 year old son has ADHD and is a very good ball player. He is particularly good at fielding-he has been told by many, many coaches that he has a “golden glove”. As he puts it, “I don’t even think about it, my body just goes where it needs to go.” He has ultra fast reflexes as well-I can’t help but see the two as related.
Maybe when you are free of that pesky frontal lobe second guessing things, your body can move almost reflexively to where it needs to be?
February 3rd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
I’m not sure. For my son a three inning tball game seems like an eternity unless he’s batting. I can’t wait to see how he does this summer since we’ve started Rx since last season but I was thinking a sport that was faster moving would be better for him because he would lose focus SOOO easily with Tball. I knowhigh level games would move more quickly though…
February 3rd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
Some years ago (2004) an Australian professional football player (that’s Rugby League, not Gridiron)Willie Mason, gained notoriety for behavioural problems, then oprobrium for admitting a diagnosis of ADHD. Mason made the perceptive observation of his sport ” If I’ve got ADHD, then we all have”
see http://www.injuryupdate.com.au/forum/archive/index.php/t-278.html
and an overview here http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22413940-5013684,00.html
February 13th, 2009 at 1:56 am
I am not surprised by the sudden increase in exemption applications. With the steroids controversy hitting the sport, players seek other methods for enhancing their performance. With the subjective diagnosis process, Major League players can obtain narcotic stimulants that help them perform on the field.
There is a reason amphetamines are banned from the sport. ADHD or not, stimulant medications of any kind should be banned as well.
Don