Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a syndrome identified by enduring over-activity; impulsivity; and struggles in maintaining attention (Carr see refs). ADHD is a lifelong disorder which is thought to occur in 5-10% of children (nhmrc). Research and treatment of this disorder is of great importance, as children who suffer from ADHD tend to have far reaching problems in areas of academic attainment; peer relationships; self-esteem; and family unrest due to behavioural difficulties. In other words, the consequences of ADHD, when untreated, can adversely affect all major areas of a child 's life. ADHD is also known to be frequently comorbid with conduct disorders; mood disorders; and later in life with substance abuse and criminality. The costs of this disorder to the individual and society are great. This essay will explore aetiological theories; assessment procedures; and finally recommended treatments for children with ADHD. I hope to provide a reasonably comprehensive but succinct picture of the current understandings of these aspects of ADHD. Aetiology Like most psychological disorders, no single aetiology is widely considered the cause of ADHD. There are a number of theories regarding the aetiology of ADHD. These will be discussed with reference to supporting empirical evidence. It is beyond the scope of this paper to describe every aetiological theory from these sources in detail, so here I will describe the most prominent theories. Genetics In support
According to a study by The Pew, more than 2.7 million children have an incarcerated parent. The following consequences are often underestimated and undetectable. Incarcerated parents are extremely detrimental to the well-being of the children involved. Minors involved with the arrest of their parents often suffer more complications than someone without an incarcerated parent. Foremost, these minors are more likely to have attention problems like Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Additionally, they could have behavioral hardships such as anxiety, depression, or eating disorders. Lastly, they could have complications in the development of relationships because of emotional problems. This
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) signifies a major public health problem. Diagnoses continue to rise each year, yet the rates of treated ADHD are declining. There is a lot of controversy about treatments for ADHD today. Helpful treatment options like medications and therapies are receiving negative views with many saying that treatment is not necessary or the negatives outweigh the benefits. Those against treatment cite problems like substance abuse and negative side effects. However, ADHD greatly impacts a person’s life, as well as everyone in that person’s life. Treatments help tremendously, relieving many of the symptoms and improving functioning capabilities. Despite the negativity recently about treatments for ADHD, treatments are necessary.
The purpose of this paper is to discuss one of the most common childhood disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in early child development. Topics to be explored are the epidemiology, pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, lab diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD. Lastly we will discuss nursing interventions as they relate to parents and children with ADHD and review two nursing journal articles related to ADHD treatment.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. This paper will seek to define and dissect ADHD from a clinical standpoint in such a way as to maintain a clear understanding for the layman to grasp its complexities and challenges. There are a number of sub-types of ADHD to date today affecting boys, girls, men and women of all ages, ethnicities and social groups with well over 6 million children throughout the United States alone having been diagnosed with the condition. This disorder has been well documented since the late 1700s and has, since then, left those in the field of psychology continuing to learn about the disorder. While ADHD is a relatively well known disorder, there exists a rampant misunderstanding of the condition mainly concerning diagnosis, prevalence, causes, symptoms, challenges, and treatment possibilities which urges the critical need for the public to be educated properly about exactly what this disorder is all about as well as the variety of options available for families, teachers, therapists and individuals struggling with ADHD.
Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment psychiatric disorder which affects the executive functions of the body. For many people suffering from the disorder, they have issues with paying attention to a particular issue for a long period. They also exhibit signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness which is not in line with an individual’s age (NIH, 2014). The symptoms of the disease normally occur in the children aged between six to twelve and have to persist for approximately six months for a diagnosis to be made. Many school going children that suffer from ADHD develop symptoms such as lack of attention which normally lead to poor performance in their tests and exams. Many people do not know the implications of having ADHD and for some the cases go undetected for a long period (ADHD Health, n.d). There are those individuals that do not suffer from the disease but since the medication enables one to have more concentration on an issue, they abuse the drug for their benefits. Before I was diagnosed with the disease, my parents could not understand my poor performance and I could not understand why it was so hard for me to concentrate in class no matter how hard I tried. The dismal results that I continued to display in school and lack of attention even when I was at home made my parents take me to the hospital for tests that indicated that I suffer from ADHD. For me, I did not quite understand how this happened but I was put on medication that
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that can affect both children and adults. ADHD symptoms in a teenager’s daily life include hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Over six million American children and young adults have ADHD, thirteen percent are boys, and five percent are girls. Eleven percent of school age children are diagnosed with ADHD every year. ADHD is one of the most common disorders amongst children and young adults. Parents with ADHD have a fifty percent chance of passing it to their new born child. This paper will discuss the symptoms, causes, treatments, and crime among ADHD children and young adults.
ADHD and its diagnosis and treatment have been considered controversial since the 1970s. The controversies have involved clinicians, teachers, policymakers, parents and the media. Opinions regarding ADHD range from not believing it exists at all to believing there are genetic and physiological bases for the condition as well as disagreement about the use of stimulant medications in treatment. Some sociologists consider ADHD to be a "classic example of the medicalization of deviant behavior, defining a previously non medical problem as a medical one.” Most healthcare providers in U.S. accept that ADHD is a genuine disorder with debate in centering mainly around how it is diagnosed and
Many have theorized about the causes of ADHD over the years. Among those theories, it is believed that poor schools, extra sugar intake, bad parenting or injuries to the head caused ADHD. There have been numerous studies done that showed a small or no support at all to for these theories. (Peacock, J. 2002).
In the previous years, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become more widely accepted as a relatively common disorder in the United States. With that, 8.8% of children were diagnosed in 2011 compared to 7% in 2007 (Pomeroy, 2013). However, as the rise in diagnostics has increased, so has the level of controversy. Many people question whether or not ADHD is overly diagnosed in the adolescent, which leads to an over-prescription of psychological attention and pharmaceuticals. Because of the level of uncertainty between the biological and psychological conditions that cause this neurobehavioral disorder, it is hard to determine fully on whether or not the condition is actually overly diagnosed. However, this paper will discuss how the diagnosis of ADHD is not only overly abundant, but how it may as well be due to the nature of the assessment, the profuse recognition from the public, and the uncertainty behind the disorder itself.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a heritable, neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity (del Campo et al, 2011). The disorder begins in early childhood and persists into adolescence, and for 70% it continues on to adulthood (Sharma & Couture, 2014). Those who suffer ADHD experience challenges, particularly during their development. Impulsivity and inattention often result in lower performance in school, and greater incidents of motor accidents and¬ risky behaviour. Additionally, individuals with ADHD have higher rates of one or more comorbidities including major depression and anxiety disorders (Sharma & Couture).
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that is common in the world today. “ADHD is a neurobehavioral disorder, a disorder of the nervous system that can be seen in a person’s behavior” according to Amy Farrar, author of the book ADHD from Health Reports: Diseases and Disorders (4). “ADHD is described as the most common neurobehavioral condition of childhood” according to Lydia Furman, author of the article “What is Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?” No one knows for sure what causes ADHD (Farrar 29). “In most cases, people with ADHD have a chemical in-balance” (Farrar 5). According to the article
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is described as the most common neurobehavioral condition of childhood. We raise the concern that ADHD is not a disease, but rather a group of symptoms representing a final common behavioral pathway for a gamut of emotional, psychological, and/or learning problems (J Child Neurol 2005). ADHD starts in childhood, there are several different requirements symptoms to be present before the age of 12 years old. These symptoms must take place in more than one setting; examples are as follows school, work, and home. To confirm the ADHD symptoms, settings typically cannot be done accurately without consulting the person who has notice the individual in
It’s normal for a child to occasionally forget to do their homework, get fidgety when they lose interest in an activity, or speak out of turn during class time. But inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are all signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a neuro-development disorder and can start as early as three years old throughout adulthood. People with ADHD have trouble focusing on tasks and activities, this can have a negative impact on the individual in different ways. It can make the child feel alone, incompetent, and powerless and those that don’t understand this behavior only intensified their struggle. Family and schools have a major impact on the life of a child suffering with ADHD. Parents who
The purpose of this research was to describe and understand Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the most effective treatment options that are available today. ADHD is a mental health disorder that affects 3-9% of the population in ways that, if left untreated, can wreak havoc on the mind of the sufferer. It makes concentration difficult, large tasks seem insurmountable, and causes impulsive and hyperactive tendencies. Fortunately, research and experiments have led to new and effective treatments to help those who suffer from this disorder (Dupaul 8). This research examined journal articles and internet sources on the topic to help unlock the complexities of the disorder through scientific research. It also was a way to
ADHD is an abbreviation for attention deficit/hyper activity disorder. It is commonly referred to as a psychiatric disorder in need of therapy. The origination of the disease is in the neuro-physiological brain construct, and the main cause of the disorder is considered to be genetic (Wilson, 2012). Many children with ADHD struggle with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention (Unnever, Cullen, & Pratt, 2003). According to McNamara, Vervaeke, and Willoughby (2008), “attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder among children and adolescents. It affects between 3% and 5% of school age children” (p. 38). In a