Adhd Essay

Attention Deficit hyperactive disorder is a prevalent and ever rising affliction in modern societies. “According to the American Psychiatric Association (2009), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders in school-aged children(Saemi 179)”.While the initial response to handling the syndrome is to medicate it and continually medicate to stem the Simpsons. This is not a temporary instance to cure the disease just a never ending cycle. It is my belief that not only is the medication over prescribed, but the alternative methods are to quickly overlooked. To clarify, I do not argue that the medication is uncalled for and should be removed. Only that everyone who has the condition should be

“ADHD is the most extensively studied pediatric mental health disorder, yet controversy and public debate over the diagnosis and medication treatment of the disorder continue to exist.” (Connor D., P.1, 2011) Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often a debated subject when the method of treatment is being discussed because it has become a trending issue to over medicate children with ADHD. A fitting label for the trend is the anesthetization of our youth, caused by government agency expansion and pharmaceutical allowances, and blame parents not advocating for their child better.

Over the past couple of decades there has been a huge increase in the diagnosis and prescriptions given out for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to a news report done by USA Today over the past five years use of ADHD medications have risen 40% totaling 39.5 million individual prescriptions ("New findings," 2009). When statistics like this are seen it is only normal for someone to ask questions. People are becoming curious about the legitimacy of the disorder, and whether or not the treatments being given to individuals are appropriate. The argument seems to be strong on both sides of the fence, but the extensive research done on ADHD leaves it hard for one to believe that it is a made up disorder.

I'm not only an educator working directly with these children but a mother living with a child with this challenge and a learning disability. My viewpoint comes from my direct experience on a raw and personal level. In the end we made the decision not to medicate our daughter for the ADHD, although we were highly encouraged to do so. If the same information was given to me five years earlier, I would have gone right out and gotten the prescription from our doctor. But, my experiences and research told me it wasn't the right path for us at that time. I wanted to try and help our daughter with a natural approach, using medication as a last resort. Of course, I'm in no way saying that medication is bad. I've actually seen it work incredibly well with many children over the years. On the other hand, I've seen the terrible side effects children have to endure when the medication is wrong or the dosage is not right. Treating attention issues is a personal decision every family has to make based on the individual needs of the child and family. There is no one size fits all cause or treatment for attention disorders. Every person is different and comes with individualized needs. In my next blog post I will outline the things I have tried as both an educator and mother to help children

Families who have children with ADHD often experience much higher anxiety and stress levels. A large number of children, almost half, will exhibit signs of ADHD by the age of four. However, most children are not diagnosed until he or she reaches elementary school. The behaviors that are associated with ADHD in children put them at risk for a host of other problems and complications such as completing their education, alcohol and other drug abuse, and an increased risk for delinquency. There has been much research on ADHD in recent years and many different types of medications and interventions have proven to be quite helpful. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, children with ADHD can learn to cope with the daily demands of the classroom, social situations, family interactions, and life in general.

My final thoughts about medication treatment for teens that have ADHD, I believe you have to look at two points of view. One as a parent having the best solutions for your child, and two on what your child thinks about any treatment before going any further. A child feels when they are different or special of rejection from their classmates, because of their responses or actions on what they say or do, are completely different than others. Not everyone understands ADHD, and sometimes they fear of one’s action because they don't know how to accept it. It is not a perfect world out there, and sometimes a child does or will experience criticism as they go through elementary and middle school. A child grows, socialize, play, and learn they mature

One of the intervention strategies recommended in the CDC article is using medication as a way of helping young ones who suffer from this condition to lead a good life. The two common types of medication that can help children with ADHD are administering stimulants and non-stimulants that

ADHD is not a curable condition but it is treatable, and treatment can begin at any age. The use of medication is the most common form of treatment. Stimulants are the best-known treatments and have been used for over 50 years (KidsHealth, n.d.). Non-stimulants and antidepressants are good alternatives to the use of stimulants. Research has shown medications used to help curb impulsive behavior and attention difficulties are more effective when combined with behavioral therapy (KidsHealth, n.d.). Behavior therapy provides for the development of strategies that assist in creating living routines, limiting distractions, limiting choices and getting organized all of which helps reduce the symptoms of ADHD (KidsHealth, n.d.). Other treatments including megavitamins, special diets, visual training and one on one psychotherapy have been tried. However, scientific research has not found these treatments to be effective (KidsHealth, n.d.).

According to the APA (2014), ADHD is a behavioral condition that makes focusing on everyday requests and routines challenging. Children with ADHD can be defiant, fidgety, noisy, socially inept, aggressive, and resist change (APA 2014). Medications such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Strattera are the most common form of treatment for children with ADHD. These medications are usually effective in modifying behavior, but seldom result in academic improvement. The medications also have an extensive list of potential side effects including rash, loss of appetite, and trouble breathing. Alternative therapies such as play therapy, cognitive therapy, psychotherapy, behavioral therapy and special ADHD diets do exist. With these alternative methods

Stolzer is a professor at The University of Nebraska-Kearney and has her MS in Family Science/Psychology and her PhD in Human Resources and Family Science/Child Development; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of her many research interests. Her article, credibly published in an academic journal, expresses concerns with America’s acceptance of the disorder as common place over the last ten years when other countries rarely report ADHD diagnoses. Along with the increase in the diagnosis of ADHD, is the dramatic surge in prescription medication as treatment to control negative behavior. Dr. Stolzer’s article discloses that there is no scientific evidence or neurological tests to confirm or support the premise of ADHD and she vehemently argues that addictive medications should not be prescribed to our children. In her conclusion, she offers suggestions for parents and teachers to implement as an alternative to medication. The validity of Dr. Stolzer’s research adds value and credibility to the hypothesis that ADHD is not a disease, it is

Indeed, many infeasible suggestions have been made in an attempt to solve the problem of overdiagnosis. It has been suggested that in order to combat this problem, a reliable test for ADHD should be developed (Power, 2013). While this idea would effectively stop the problem, developing a test quickly is not feasible. Copious amounts of research is still needed in order to form a valid test. Because ADHD is a neurological disorder, there are many stigmas surrounding it that suggest it is not a true disorder. Due to this, many believe no treatment is needed. These people suggest that children diagnosed with ADHD should not take any kind of medication and that those children currently taking Ritalin should be completely taken off of it. This suggestion

Some students have major difficulties in life when faced with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or more commonly referred to as “ADHD” , although if recognized early by noticing symptoms this disorder can be properly treated and contained causing minimal troubles for the victim. ADHD will distinguish itself commonly at an early age. There are exceptions to this with ADHD in adults. Some people can go years without noticing their disorder. These people in particular fall to the devastating effects of this disorder. They do have the power in their

Sometimes kids don’t need medication, they need the basics back. The first basic is a balanced diet. “Eating a healthful diet centered on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (for example, beans, peas, and lentils), lean protein sources, and nuts and seeds” (Disease group). Eating a balanced diet can replenish children with the nutrition they need for their brains to process information. This nutrition helps their brain activity increase which helps them focus in school. The next basic is exercising. “Participating in physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day” (dISEASE). Taking part in physical activity helps children get their rambunctious energy out and centering it on a fun outside activity instead of the classroom. Another basic is limiting children’s screen time. “Limiting the amount of daily screen time from TV’s, computers, phones, etc” (Disease). In this day and age, it is hard for children to not be involved in screen time. Many school districts are incorporating laptops or apple products into classes daily. Limiting screen time can diminish headaches, eye problems, mood swings, and even hyperactivity. The last basic solution is getting enough sleep. “Getting the recommended amount of sleep each night based on age” (Disease). Getting enough sleep will help when kids go into school so they aren’t tired and not paying attention. Most symptoms of “ADHD” are caused by not getting enough

It is understandable for parents to be concern about their children which is diagnosed with ADHD, including the treatments. Parents have to remember that even ADHD can’t be cured, but it can be successfully managed. There are a lot of types of treatment options, so both parents and doctors should work closely with everyone involved in the child’s treatment. Medications is one of the treatment that can help a child with ADHD in their daily life. There are two types of medication may be used to treat ADHD, stimulants and non-stimulants. Stimulants are the best-known and most widely used treatments while the non-stimulants were approved for treating ADHD in 2003. Medications can affect children differently, where one child may respond well to

Medication gives a person clarity, it doesn’t take away from ADHD symptoms. It gives the person the clarity in order to deal with their symptoms, in a more effective manner. It does not make a person weak for taking a prescription drug for an imaginary condition. It’s no different than a diabetic taking insulin!