Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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.

V.B. is in fifth grade at F. Elementary School. Based on upon a review of records, V.B. is currently functioning below grade level in both reading and math. She is not eligible for free/reduced lunch. Her individualized education program includes consultant teacher services and resource room support, along with psychological counseling services. V.B. is an English New Language (ENL) student. Moreover, she is diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), however, she does not take any medications at this time.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (“ADHD”) is a common childhood disorder that represents developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity and overactivity. It occurs in 3% to 5% of the school age population as stated by (Craighead, Craighead, Kazdin & Mahoney, 1994). Another author (Barkley, 1981) stated that ADHD occurs in at least one child in every classroom. As a result of these statistics, ADHD has become one of the most commonly referred and heavily studied psychological disorders of childhood. Studies show that about 50-60% of children with ADHD in the age range of five to seven years are hostile and defiant. By the

The diagnosis of attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has increased significantly over recent years and along with the rise in diagnosis is the dramatic surge in prescription medication as treatment. ADHD is a behavior issue, not a disease. As an alternative to prescribing medication to alter a child’s behavior, parents, teachers, and doctors need to determine and find a resolution to the root cause of the negative behavior. Medication is not a cure for ADHD and does not solve the issues that create negative behavior – alternatives to drugs are available to make the necessary behavior modifications in children.

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD) continues to be a complex and widespread problem that is occurring in children at an unprecedented rate. According to DSM-V, a child must present symptoms before the age of twelve and display the symptoms for at least six months. There are two types of ADHD disorders; inattentive type and hyperactive-impulsive. A child could also have a combination of the two. Some of the most common symptoms for inattention include lack of attention, difficulty sustaining attention, difficulty following instructions, easily distracted and forgetfulness. Common symptoms for hyperactive-impulsive include fidgeting, excessive talking, being on the go very often and interrupting others (Mash & Wolfe, 2008). Both types of ADHD may affect a child’s social, personal and academic life. Children with the disorder may have sleeping problems and are more prone to accidents. Young children with ADHD show signs of aggression as young as preschool. During preschool years, they are ignoring their parents, acting out in public and getting into fights with other students or family members (Modesto, et al., 2008). As a child enters his or her adolescent years, they are more likely to do poorly in school and in some cases may even drop out. Their defiance poses a challenge for the parents (Modesto et al, 2014). Studies have shown that parents with children who have ADHD frequently reinforce their behaviors by giving attention to their impulsivity (Modesto, et al.,

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.

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common conditions for children to have today. ADHD is a condition that millions of children are affected by and often lasts into adulthood. For the children who are between the ages of six and eleven, medication and behavior therapy is highly recommended. There are two main treatments for ADHD, one medical (methylphenidate), and one non-medical (parenting programs), and they are usually combined. For people diagnosed with ADHD, no matter what age they are, the consistent recommendation is a combination of medication and behavior therapy. Although both are recommended, some people cannot take medication, so they settle with the parental programming.

There are different types in severity, characteristics or symptoms children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) exhibit. Children with ADHD have strengths, average intelligence or diverse personality characteristics that should be accounted for. Their disability is defined with Inattention, Hyperactivity and Impulsitivity and each child exhibit different forms of these behavior characteristics. "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurological condition that involves problems with inattention and hyperactivity-impulsitivity that are developmentally inconsistent with the age of the child." (U.S. Department of Education et al 1) Unfortunately, children with ADHD experience difficulty in school and struggle to build friendships because of inadequate social skills.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder also known as ADHD refers to a syndrome in which some combination of hyperactivity, impulsivity and difficulty with concentration or attention is severe enough to cause significant difficulties in a child’s life. Many people with this disorder are unable to sit still, finish tasks, plan ahead or be fully aware of what is going on around them. Everyone tends to think that ADHD children have a behavioral issues, this is somewhat true. L.Todd Rose, in the quote above, stated that this disorder doesn’t just affect the child but also the ones around

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a very complex and common childhood disorder recognized since the mid 19 century “that makes focusing on everyday requests and routines challenging” (American Psychological Association, 2015). It has proven to be a difficult disorder for children and adolescent, caregivers, family, peer, and teachers. The symptoms of ADHD generally begin to show signs, around ages 3 and 6. This is particularly among subtypes categorized by hyperactive and impulsive behavior (Barkley, 2006), symptoms are situational and vary. Which makes diagnosis for co-occurring mental problems more difficult among this age group.

The average third grade student worries about having the coolest pencils, making a sports team, and what they’re having for lunch. Unfortunately, children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) don’t have it so easy. Daily life in and outside of the classroom can be extremely difficult for such children; however, there are ways to help. The drug Ritalin helps elementary aged male children with ADHD improve test scores by allowing them to focus in the classroom and concentrate on schoolwork (Bronson).

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a behavioral condition that makes focusing on everyday requests and routines challenging. American Psychological Association (2016) Another part to this disorder is ADD, or attention deficit disorder, which is just like ADHD, except it doesn't cause hyperactivity. Although there is no information on what the specific cause of these disorders are, it is said that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity

The first documented case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) was in 1798 by a Scottish physician named Sir Alexander Crichton (Lange 2). In 1998 Doctor Eugene Arnold brought to the attention of the national institution of health (NIH) about twenty-three non stimulant treatments, however, these findings were ignored. Dr. Arnold makes a statement that “Diagnosis is a Mess” (Henderson 1). This brings up the issue that doctors rely too much on stimulants to fix ADHD which benefits the pharmaceutical companies and likewise does nothing for the child. Too often, children are subjects of experiments by doctors using a variety of medications which can cause harmful side effects. Some of these children

Most often, parents do not realize there is something different about their child until he or she has entered a formal classroom environment, where sitting still and paying attention is expected. Children who are diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have multiple symptoms that manifest in early childhood. Symptoms for inattentiveness include: careless mistakes in schoolwork, inability to focus on tasks, not finishing tasks when started, easily losing things, distractibility, and forgetfulness. Hyperactive symptoms include: fidgeting, squirming, not staying seated when expected, impulsivity, running, jumping and climbing when it is not appropriate (Kerig & Wenar, 2006). According to the DSM-V, children must meet at least six of the diagnostic criteria in either the inattentiveness criteria or the hyperactivity/impulsivity section and the symptoms have to persist for a minimum of six months in order to be diagnosed with ADHD. However, research suggests that symptoms that persist for 12-months would be a more appropriate time period for diagnosis of ADHD in preschool age children (Kerig & Wenar, 2006). Another assessment is usually done in order to evaluate the severity of ADHD symptoms. The most frequently used scales are the Connor’s scale, the SNAP-IV scale, and the ADHD Symptoms Evaluation scale (Chutko et al., 2010).

Excessive levels of hyperactivity and inattention can be extremely impairing for both the afflicted child and their caretakers. Children with ADHD can experience problems with cogni-tion, poor academic achievement, troubled peer relationships, and heightened household conflict (Barkley, 1997; Loe 2007; Bagwell, 2001; Harpen, 2005). These children often present with in-creased aggression that can result in a comorbid diagnosis of conduct disorder or other disruptive behavioral disorders (Jensen, 1997). The heterogeneous symptoms of this disorder can make se-lecting a treatment course particularly challenging. While prescribing stimulant medication has become the golden standard for dealing with an attentional system gone awry, there is growing concern over the use of pharmacological interventions for children since the side effects of such use during this period of development may not yet be fully understood. Additionally these drugs do not directly curtail aggressive and defiant behavior that many of these children display but they may improve a child’s ability to benefit from other psychosocial interventions.