Attentention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD and What Can be Done About It

The CDC webpage has many details and facts about ADHD, and the focus is pointed towards children with ADHD, but does not tell us or discuss any ways to treat the disorder. The stated facts are credible and accurate as a government service, if those parents that read that information would think there are limited resources available to help treat their children with ADHD, and that is with a combination of behavior therapy, medication, or with the two together(CDC,2016). According to the physician Sir George Frederick ADHD was called a “defect of moral control.” Even to this day doctors still believe this defect to be true; before any child is diagnosed with ADHD or given medication testing needs to be done. The treatment for ADHD should be individualized (overview of

Treatments can relieve many of the symptoms, but there is no cure for the disorder. Hygiene and diet can be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of a child with ADHD. Parents who have children with this disorder try to reduce the child’s sugar intake and also their intake of processed foods. Nutritional supplements can be a treatment for ADHD based on the assumption that certain nutrients are crucial for normal brain functioning. Macronutrients (amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) have propped as treatment for ADHD (Spetie 278). When a patient is under the care of a physician their weight and vital signs are monitored on a routinely bases in order to insure there are no drastic changes. The most common type of medication used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a “Stimulant”. Stimulants have a calming effect on children with ADHD. Medication reduces children’s hyperactivity and impulsivity which can improve their ability to focus work, learn and live a normal life. Medications for ADHD can come in different forms, such as pills, liquid, skin patches, and capsules. Some of the medications that are widely used are Adderall (amphetamine) approved for children age 3 and older. Another common medication is Concerta (methylphenidate which is long acting. These medications can have different side effects on the patient, so it may take trial and error and close monitoring of the patient to determine what medication is best for the

When dealing with adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD may become a challenge for many parents. Knowing the facts about this disorder and how to treat the problem is the key to a healthy lifestyle for adolescents as well as families. Many therapies and medications are available to families with children with ADHD but many questions that parents have with their children with ADHD is which therapy is best and what would work best with their children and their quality of life. The question of which therapy, alternative versus medication therapy would improve adolescent’s quality of life and behavior modification.

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.

The goal of this paper is to give an insight to the available treatments for people with ADHD by using two types of treatments, drug therapy and Behavioral therapy. The conclusion found is that drug therapy is more effective at reducing the initial symptoms of ADHD, while behavior therapy is more effective at improving the development of social functioning, however a combination of the two is the ultimate choice.

Howard and Landeau’s (2011) research article also found that intervention plans must be developed based on the unique needs of each child. The research indicates that combined treatments such as medication plus behavioral interventions, tend to be most successful in reducing ADHD symptoms and improving the overall functioning of the child. They found a functional behavior assessment to be a valuable assessment strategy in determining how to replace inappropriate behaviors with more desirable behavior. A school psychologist or social worker usually does a functional behavior assessment by systematically observing the child to determine why a behavior occurs and its purpose or function. Rewards-based interventions, social skills training, and organizational skills development are effective in reducing

While there is no permanent treatment for ADHD, there is medication out to help manage and control it. Central nervous stimulants, CNS, are most commonly used for ADHD. Stimulants are used to improve concentration and also decrease fatigue in children. There are many different types because not every medication will work with each diagnosed case. Non-Stimulants are also used when CNS side effects are thought to be harmful to the child. Some side effects from CNS are increased heart rate, trouble

The numbers can be mind-blowing! Ever since Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been surveyed on a national level the numbers of affected persons diagnosed with the disorder has continued to climb. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013) ADHD was first surveyed, using input from parents and providers, in 1997. Not only have numbers of diagnosed patients and population percentage with the disorder shown an upward trend in growth, so have the number of available prescription medications used to treat the disorder. There is no doubt that there are other means of treating ADHD and many parents and providers may decide an anti-medication approach by utilizing improving behavioral/cognitive therapy practices and techniques. Still though, it seems that it is assumed that medication is the most popular and effective treatment method used to treat and/or maintain the symptoms of the disorder.

Now that the scientists sort of know what causes the disorder, they can treat it. There are many programs and methods out there to help children with ADHD and their parents. Parents must realize that, “Medication alone is not the answer, research has shown that the most effective treatment and management of ADHD is a combination of medication and behavior modification programs [or therapy].” (About ADD) This is the most important statement an ADHD parent could hear. The type of drugs used are called stimulants or psychostimulants, they are both the same. Stimulant medications are used to control the symptoms of ADHD. They are not used to control behaviors. (About ADD) What they do is Alter the level of neurotransmitters in the brain. (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) They were first used in 1937. Effects of stimulant medications usually take effect right away. A common stimulant medication is Ritalin. People thought that was an addictive drug. In fact stimulant medications do not cause dependence. (Attention

Medication will help the kids focus and is needed to help them be successful and has been proven to be the best in aiding ADHD symptoms.

There thankfully is treatment for children that suffer from ADHD. Treatment is very helpful for symptoms, behavior problems, and functional performance of the individual. One treatment that people choose to use is behavioral therapy to see if their child could learn to cope with ADHD without having to take medication. Effective behavioral therapies include parent training, classroom management, peer interventions, and combination of the interventions. Treatment often involves seven to twelve weekly sessions and has demonstrated improved child behavior and parent satisfaction (Felt and Beirmann, 2014). The second treatment that is the more common of the two is pharmacological treatment. Psychostimulants (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine, and mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall) are the most effective and safe option, and are the first choice for ADHD treatment in national guidelines and reviews (Felt and Biermann, 2014). These medications do cause side effects like loss of appetite, headaches, sleep loss, high blood pressure, and slightly high heart rate. Having followed up doctor appointments while on these medications are very important.

It is commonly seen for children diagnosed to have more than one learning and/or emotional problem. ADHD may be just an addition of these problems. It is important to get a full evaluation from your doctor, and to have a clear understanding before deciding on treatment. There is no cure for ADHD, but there are treatments that can help improve symptoms (White, Emily, M.S., Williamson Smith, Amelia, M.S., Workman, Thomas Ph.D., Spinks-Franklin, Adiaha M.D., M.P.H, Fordis, Michael M.D. , 2011). There are two ways a parent or the individual can go about treating their ADHD symptoms, non pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical treatment. Several types of non-pharmaceutical treatments have been used for children with ADHD. Sometimes the whole family takes part in these treatments. For parents that are unsecure about medicating their

“ADHD is a neurological difference that affects learning and language, and every aspect of life” (Hardman). It has been argued that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) is not a real disease, but it has been confirmed by neurological testing that ADHD is a real disease. It has been found that ADHD symptoms are caused by a child having less brain activity in their frontal lobes; this part of the brain controls the impulse control which will make it harder for the child to sit still. There are three symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Not every case has all three symptoms; some can have just one of the three. The most common type of ADHD is a combination of all three symptoms. Children with the first symptom, inattention, may have the following behaviors: have a hard time paying attention, be easily distracted from work or play, not follow through on instructions or finish tasks, and forget things. Children with the second symptom, hyperactivity, may exhibit the following behaviors: cannot stay seated, squirms and fidgets, talks too much, and cannot play quietly. Children with the third symptom, impulsivity, may show the following behaviors: acts and speaks without thinking, has trouble taking turns, cannot wait for things, and interrupts others. “It has been found that there is a difference in the brain of someone with ADHD and the brain of someone without ADHD” (Pagan). ADHD can look different in every child. For one child it can look like

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

Those children that are diagnosed with ADHD are usually prescribed psycho-stimulant medications, such as ‘methylphenidate’, otherwise known as ‘Ritalin’, as the primary method of treatment. (Chandler, 2010).