Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) Essay

One issue that this article has is the controversy of ADHD and its validity. Some people

     In the United States Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is the most common mental disorder found in children. Approximately 15 million people in the United States, in which 3.5 million are children, are diagnosed with ADD. There are many aspects of this disorder that many people are not even aware of. ADD is a neurological disorder that affects the central nervous system, as well as the motivational system. ADD affects two important parts of the brain that are connected with the ability to pay attention and the ability to regulate motor activity. ADD is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. There is a deficiency in the brains’ ability to produce neurotransmitters. ADD is said

With ADD there is a flaw in the way the brain manages the neurotransmitter production, storage or flow, causing imbalances. It has been suggested that as many as 80 percent of ADD cases are the result of genetics with the remainder caused by toxins, trauma or illness introduced during pregnancy, delivery or the newborn period and not,from poor parenting, family problems, poor teachers or schools, to much TV, food allergies, or excess sugar. It is important for people to understand that ADD is a real

Dr. Theodore Mandelkorn, vice chairman of psychiatry at New York University, believes that ADD/ADHD is a reasonable brain disorder. His perspective is that medication should be a primary option. He believes at least 80% of the patients who take medication benefit greatly from the medication. Dr.

may face mirror the behaviors and diagnosis of attention deficit disorder and it is, many

It is true that people with Attention Deficit Disorder struggle in school or with everyday situations but they can adapt and learn ways to use this disability to their advantage. There are many people that are and can become very successful despite having Attention Deficit Disorder. Explaining attention deficit disorder is not easy, there are a lot of myths and controversy about this disorder. I know first-hand the struggles and the controversy surrounded by Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.) because I was diagnosed when I was an adult. Some people might not believe that it is a true disorder or that it only affects children, it is real and does actually exist. It is not only just a childhood disorder it does not discriminate against age, race or gender. In order to have a better understanding of this complex disorder, it is important to become aware of its characteristics, causes, and treatments. A detailed analysis will include information and the struggles of living, coping, and managing A.D.D.

Howell and Huessy (1985) reported on a study of 386 children who had, and had not, exhibited symptoms of attention deficit disorder (ADD)—previously known as hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction—during childhood. In 1965 teachers of all second-grade school children in a number of schools in northwestern Vermont were asked to complete a questionnaire for each of their students dealing with behaviors commonly associated with ADD. Questionnaires on these same children were again completed when the children were in the fourth and fifth grades and, for purposes of this data set only, those three scores were averaged to produce a score labeled ADDSC. The higher the score, the more ADD-like behaviors the child exhibited.

Before we liked to label them as "bad" children exhibiting behavior problems. Child psychologist, Harvey Parker, who founded Children and Adults with ADD (CHADD), a nonprofit organization says, now we see that it 's genuinely not under their control, and we perceive them more as children suffering from a neurobiological disorder of self-control and attention problems (Parker, 2000).

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a problem that affects 5% to 10% of all children. ADD affects more children than any other childhood problems except asthma. It is estimated to be the largest single cause for first referrals to child guidance clinics throughout the country, making up as many as 40% of those cases. Many ADD cases are not diagnosed because the problem most often does not show in the doctor’s office.

Attention deficit disorder, also called ADD, is defined as 'a disorder primarily a characteristic of childhood, marked by a consistent problem in paying attention,' in the book, The Lifespan by Guy R. Lefrancois (1999). It is more common among boys than girls but can effect all ages. Focusing on children between the ages of five thru ten, it is estimated that three to five percent, which is 1.35 - 2.25 million, of all children are living with ADD. When accompanied by serious hyperactivity, ADD is labeled as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. This disorder makes it very challenging for educators to deal with. Understanding the characteristics of this disorder, how to treat the disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a problem that affects 5% to 10% of all children ADD affect more children than any other childhood problems except asthma. It is estimated to be the largest single cause for first referrals to child guidance clinics throughout the country, making up as many as 40% of those cases. Many ADD cases are not diagnosed because the problem most often does not prevail in the doctors office. Current estimates suggest that approximately 50 to 65% of the children with ADD will have symptoms of the disorder as adolescents and adults.

Today, more and more kids are unable to focus, whether it is in school, church, or even at home, it is the same. Some draw on their notes and daydream during discussions. Others spend all their time on one subject instead of a few. For some, the reasons are simple: Kids get bored easily. This, however, is only mostly true. Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is a disorder that causes a lack of attention in those who have it, including adults. Though it is easily spotted in children due to abundant mounts of energy and a high lack of focus, many adults who have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder don’t know they have it. Although Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is growing more and more common among teens and children today, through the use of medication and therapy, those people can learn to control and/or hide the symptoms in their adulthood. For the sake of saving from confusion however, the disorder will just be referred to as Attention Deficit disorder (ADD), unless otherwise noted.

The difficulties caused by ADD are numerous and manifest themselves especially in the educational setting. This is not to say that there are not difficulties in other areas of the human existence as personal relations, work etc. But the educational

In the early 70s, the main focus started to shift towards attention deficit rather than the concept of hyperactivity (Lange et al., 2010). In fact, 4 years after the implementation of the DSM-II, Douglas (1972) argued that deficits such as sustained attention and impulse control deserved more notability. Also, these symptoms responded better to stimulants treatment than hyperactivity (Douglas, 1972). For this reason coupled with the influence of the scientific community, a complete reconceptualization of “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood” was considered. In 1980, the DSM-III was published and renamed the disorder “Attention Deficit Disorder” (ADD) (Barkley, 2006). The disorder could now be diagnosed with or without hyperactivity. Attention deficits and impulse control were considered more important than hyperactivity as determinants for diagnosis (Lange et al., 2010). Moreover, the DSM-III contained “an explicit numerical cutoff score for symptoms, specific guidelines for age of onset and duration of symptoms, and the requirement of exclusion of other childhood psychiatric conditions” (Barkley, 2006, p.19). A lot of controversy emerged from these changes, as little empirical evidence existed to support the concept of “Attention Deficit disorder” (Barkley, 2006). Confusion arose concerning the similarities of both types of ADD and it was not clear if they should be considered as the same disorder or two different psychiatric entities. Seven years later, a revision of the DSM-III (DSM-III-R) was published based on empirical validation. The subtype component was removed and the disorder was renamed “Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (APA, 1987).

First, it is important to understand ADD and ADHD and how they can be identified. Within the classroom, a teacher may encounter a student who constantly squirms in their seat, stares out the window, and has a desk that is a complete mess. These are not poor students who do not care about school and learning. Often these students may be undiagnosed cases of Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These students can often be disruptive to themselves and the students around them, which causes serious educational problems. For this reason it is important for these students to be identified and to have their condition treated. Also, if untreated for a long period of time, the