Argument On Medication

In this day and age, drugs are being prescribed without hesitation. In fact, many of these drugs are being prescribed for children with various disorders. One of these disorders is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). An estimated five to ten percent of children are diagnosed with this syndrome (Taylor 11). One of the methods to treat this disorder is to use stimulants, specifically Ritalin. This method is controversial because it has many side effects and its long-term effects are unknown. It can also lead to addiction. Approximately two to three percent of elementary school children are taking some kind of stimulant to treat ADHD (Taylor 64). Since so many children are taking this medication, new problems have arisen.

According to the research conducted by Dr. Laura A. King, the Frederick A. Middlebush Professor of Psychological Sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia, “ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorders of childhood, in which individuals show at least one of the following: impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention.”

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a syndrome that is comprised of a variety of behaviors that often arises in early childhood and is characterized by extremely high levels of motor activity, difficulties with attention span and concentrating, and/or impulsive behaviors (Cook & Cash, 2011). It has been estimated in the United States that approximately 20% of children and adolescents display signs of a psychological or behavioral disorder according to Luthy, David, Macintosh, Eden, and Beckstrand (2015). ADHD is considered one of the more prevalent psychological disorders in children, with approximately 3-7% of school-age children with an ADHD diagnosis as mentioned by Luthy et al. (2015).

The symptoms can often start during the early ages of a child’s life and continue on into adulthood, but symptoms do not always show at a young age(“Treatment”). Some symptoms for inattention include not being able to keep focus during conversations, lectures, or lengthy reading, not listening when one is directly spoken to, not following through with tasks such as school work, getting easily sidetracked, forgetting things throughout the day, and having problems organizing things(“NIMH”). Some signs of hyperactivity could include fidgeting in their seats, talking non stop, blurting out randomly, interrupting in conversations, and constantly being on the go(“NIMH”). Some people could show more symptoms of inattention, and some could show more of hyperactivity, it just depends. ADHD can be mistaken for emotional or disciplinary problems, and also for other disorders that have similar

As children we were used to jump around and ask a lot of question and be careless. Being hyper, curios, and talkative is part of the definition of the term childhood. Most children enjoy doing these activities, and about 15-20 years ago, it was very normal for a child to be hyperactive or talkative. However, nowadays, these behaviors may suggest a very serious condition. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a very usual childhood disorder, which can continue even through the adolescence and adulthood if left untreated. Symptoms of this disorder are very similar to what we defined as childhood behaviors but in a more obvious or harmful manner. Symptoms include lack of focus and attention, difficulty controlling behaviors, and hyperactivity. Children with ADHD can be defiant, socially inept, or aggressive. Also, adults with this condition have trouble getting organized, staying focused, and not thinking before acting. Moreover, They can be noisy, fidgety, and unable to adapt to any new situation. In this paper, I am going to discuss different types of ADHD, possible reasons for this condition, details about its symptoms, diagnosis, treatment methods, and possible flaws of this disorder.

With treatment of ADHD people, more than not, choose the medication instead of the therapy for the easy fix. "The combination of medication and behavioral intervention, known as multimodal treatment, is the best treatment strategy for ADHD, however, stimulant medication is the most efficacious, single treatment for reducing symptoms of ADHD" (Lesesne, 2007). Evidence of medication being a much more used source of treatment shows how people want the easiest and quickest fix for unwanted behaviors and also shows how people might be motivated to become diagnosed which ADHD to get the medication that will help their standing abilities to focus and function. "Using national survey data, we recently found that medication rates among boys and girls

Children who fidget, cannot concentrate on a task, or have difficulty staying in their seats for long periods may have ADHD. ADHD is a prevalent disorder that affects millions of children nationwide. Several treatment options for ADHD are utilized, including medication, behavioral therapy, and education about the disorder. Many adolescents are able to manage their symptoms well and be productive in school and life. Although ADHD is common in the adolescent population, over diagnosis is a concern as many of the symptoms associated with the disorder are normal behaviors. While there are many theories suggesting the cause of the disorder, what actually causes ADHD is still unknown. Additionally, studies have shown that adolescents with ADHD are

ADHD is a chronic condition of impulsivity mixed with inattention and hyperactivity. The symptoms of ADHD include inattention, fidgeting, talking excessively, trouble waiting for their turn and much more. ADHD is treated with both behavior therapy and medication. It is estimated that 5% of the population has ADHD.

Since the early 1990’s the use of stimulant medications had tripled for patients who have been diagnosed with ADHD. ADHD is a highly genetic, brain-based syndrome that has to do with the regulation of a particular set of brain functions and related behaviors (add.org, 2017). According to several sources on the World Wide Web, the increase in ADHD diagnoses has increased significantly. Identifying the trends with parents, teacher and providers is now more important than ever. There could be a possibility of over medicating children who may or may not have this disorder. It may not be beneficial to prescribe children this powerful stimulant as their brains are still in developing stages in

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) has been a diagnosis that has become controversial over the past few decades, but even more alarming is the treatment used to control this disorder and the possible lifelong effects this medication might have on them as adults. There is some school of thought that kids who are prescribed ADHD medications as children could have substance abuse issues later in life as they have an additional risk of addiction linked to the disorder, not to the treatment. The stimulant medication utilized to treat ADHD may have some long term effects on the child’s brain by changing the levels of neurotransmitters, the brain adapts to the medication so continuous updates and changes need to be made, stimulant

Stimulant Therapy is used to treat both moderate and severe ADHD and can increase alertness, attention, and energy in addition to elevating blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration. This medication therapy may help children and adolescents focus their thoughts and ignore distractions to increase success across settings including at school, work, and home. The most commonly used stimulant medications are
methylphenidate and the
amphetamines. Evidence demonstrates that these
stimulants are safe when
prescribed to healthy children monitored
under medical supervision.21 (see table 1)

Between ten and thirty-five percent of children diagnosed with ADHD have a first degree relative with ADHD. “Approximately fifty percent of parents who have ADHD have a child with the disorder as well.” (Basile, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) The symptoms of ADHD may vary by age and the type of environments you are in. “There have been studies and they show that 20 percent of children with ADHD have a learning disability as well.” ( Harvard Health Publications, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) There are three main category, symptom types and they are inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Inattentiveness is the inability to focus, hyperactivity is being extremely active and impulsivity is not being able to control your behavior. The most common category, symptom to show is inattentiveness, which is the lack of focus. Many children, teens and adults struggle to focus during classes, meetings or simple things they attend during their lives. The second most common category, symptom is impulsivity. People with ADHD also have a hard time controlling their behavior because they get so frustrated and angry that they just act out and don’t even realize that their behavior is so bad. The last symptom, category of the three is hyperactivity. Many teens and adults do not show symptoms of hyperactivity, children are the main ones to be hyperactive but once you get older the hyperactive behavior slows down

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD, is one of the most frequent psychiatric conditions recognized in children (Am, 2007). There are concerns with over-diagnosing children with ADHD and over-treating them with medication, even among some professionals. Society is often unaware of the effects of pharmacological treatment for children with this disorder and early health interventions. Through research, this paper will address the long-term effects of pharmacological treatment for children with ADHD. Despite the fact that symptoms are relieved by medication, the question that still remains is how health and educational outcomes are affected by pharmacological treatment? Conversely, several medications and their side

In recent years, there are more people receiving treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder than ever before. In 2005, it was estimated that about 3 to 7% of the country’s school aged children had a diagnosis of ADHD (Hall, Irwin, Bowman, Frankenberg, Jewett, 2005). Many researchers agree that this increase was caused by changes in special education laws that occurred in 1991 with the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act which increased services to students with ADHD and consequently led to an increase in diagnoses (Chau, 2007). In the years following this new legislation, there was a 9- fold increase in the amount of ADHD stimulant medication prescriptions written (Carroll, McLaughlin & Blake, 2006). With

ADHD affects almost 5 percent of children in school. The symptoms of ADHD includes lost of attention, high levels of impulsivity and distractibility. Furthermore, the degree to which each child is affected is different for every child. ADHD is a complex illness the roots of which are not understood. Because of this, there are many debates regarding ADHD.