Essay on Do You Have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

The primary features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder include inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior. ADHD symptoms start before age 12, and in some children, they're noticeable as early as 3 years of age. ADHD symptoms can be mild, moderate or severe, and they may continue into adulthood.

The legitimacy of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has been a controversial topic since it’s recognition as a part of the DSM-III, although there is copious research proving how many children are affected by this disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD may affect around 3-5 percent of children. Psychiatrist Sami Timimi and psychologist Nick Radcliffe believe that ADHD does not exist and that the rapid increase of children taking stimulant medication to control it since 1996 is astonishing. Timimi and Radcliffe assert that it is a disorder made up by Western culture in order to explain away normal behavior in adolescents. They claim that normal adolescent behavior is viewed as unacceptable in today’s self-indulgent society. There have been millions of dollars and countless hours spent funding research about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, how it affects children, and what is the cause of ADHD.

Over the past couple of decades there has been a huge increase in the diagnosis and prescriptions given out for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to a news report done by USA Today over the past five years use of ADHD medications have risen 40% totaling 39.5 million individual prescriptions ("New findings," 2009). When statistics like this are seen it is only normal for someone to ask questions. People are becoming curious about the legitimacy of the disorder, and whether or not the treatments being given to individuals are appropriate. The argument seems to be strong on both sides of the fence, but the extensive research done on ADHD leaves it hard for one to believe that it is a made up disorder.

The research also found that in 2011, only 3.1 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD taking medication to treat the condition. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIH), inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity are the key that are more severe and occur most often in children diagnosed with this disorder (ADHD). Among the most common symptoms of inattention, cited easily are, distraction, forget things, change frequently from one activity to another and having difficulty concentrating. Also, these children tend to get bored with a task after only a few minutes, unless it is a pleasurable activity, or learning something new about completing tasks. In the case of children with symptoms of hyperactivity, often restless, talk endlessly, tend to move from one place to another and have difficulty sitting and staying still for meals and school (Grady, pp.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD is when an individual has issues focusing on tasks, paying attention, has a tendency to act without thinking, as well as trouble sitting still. The main symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsivity. ADHD begins in early childhood and can stay with a person well into adulthood. A child is most often diagnosed with ADHD between the ages of six and twelve. As a person ages their symptoms can change. Hyperactivity and impulsivity stand out most in young children. In elementary age inattention stands out most. In adolescence its restlessness, although inattention and impulsivity may also remain and carry on into adulthood. Life at work, school, and home can be

Sub characteristics of hyperactivity include inability to sit still during times of relaxation, incessant talking, problems with listening and interrupting, and inability to focus on uninteresting reading materials, constantly on the move.

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.

ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in children and is also one of the most researched childhood psychiatric disorder. In fact, many researchers believe that ADHD is over diagnosed and medication is too quickly prescribed to treat the disorder without trying alternate treatments like behavior management (Worley, 2017). The prevalence of ADHD worldwide is estimated to have reached 5.29% although there are gender differences with the prevalence being much higher in boys than in girls (Roskam, et al.,

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, better known by its acronym as ADHD, is one of the “hot topics” constantly being discussed in today’s psychological field. Interestingly, the debate is on whether or not ADHD is a real mental disorder. The community is divided into two distinct groups. One group believes that ADHD is a real mental disorder and should be treated as such. Others, however, believe that ADHD isn’t a disorder at all, rather it is a ploy driven by the pharmaceutical companies in order to increase sales of stimulants such as Ritalin. Within this group there are also people who believe that ADHD itself is not a disorder, however, it is part of a larger malady, or a result of poor parenting or a sugar-rich diet.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a common mental disorder whose definition continues to change. Most clinicians make a diagnosis off of a list of symptoms in three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There are three different subtypes of ADHD: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type if both the inattentive criteria and the hyperactive/impulsive criteria have been present for the past six months; Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type if the inattention criteria are met but the hyperactive/impulsive criteria has not been present for the past six months; and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive

It is estimated that 3-5% of school-aged kids in the USA suffer from ADHD. It is also 3-5 times more likely to affect a boy then a girl, though in adults that ratio drops closer to 2 males to even 1 female. Most children grow out of the disorder as they age and gain more self control. However, anywhere between 30-80% of children that suffer from ADHD, will continue to have symptoms as an adult. Because the cause is still unknown, diagnosis can be difficult. Most children will display some symptoms of ADHD at some point in their childhood, but at low levels. Determining what is “normal” inattention is where the problem with diagnosis lies. Psychiatrists and other medical professionals use the criteria from the DSM-IV-TR to determine the presence of the disorder. To receive an ADHD diagnosis a child must display at least six of the symptoms of inattention or six or more symptoms of a combined hyperactivity and impulsiveness. The symptoms must occur before the child turns seven , must be present in a minimum of two different social environments (e.g. in the home, at school), must affect the child for at least six months, and have no traces to any other developmental or mental disorder. The symptoms on the

They may say the child is “always on the go” or “never seems to listen”. Many children with ADHD are difficult to discipline, have low frustration tolerance, and have problems in peer relations. Other common characteristics of children with ADHD include general immaturity and clumsiness. Although signs of ADHD are often present in the preschool years, their classification often doesn’t take place until the elementary school years (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow, 2004).

ADHD symptoms can be hard to distinguish from the impulsivity, inattentiveness and active behavior that is typical for kids under the age of four but many parents have reported these characteristics as early as toddler years. In making the diagnosis, children should have six or more symptoms of the disorder present; adolescents 17 and older and adults should have at least five of the symptoms present. The DSM-5 lists three presentations of ADHD—predominantly inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined. The symptoms for each are adapted and summarized below. ADHD predominantly inattentive presentation characteristics include fails to give close attention to details or makes certain careless mistakes; has difficulty sustaining attention with the organization; and/or does not appear to listen, follow through with instructions, and/or loses things. ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive is indicated by fidgets or squirms in chair; difficulty remaining seated, being quiet, waiting and taking turns, blurts out and/or interrupts or intrudes upon others; runs about or climbs excessively (children) or extreme restlessness (adults); and/or acts as if driven by a motor or adults will often feel inside as if they are driven by a motor, talks excessively. ADHD combined presentation may be indicated when individual meets the criteria for both inattention and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD presentations.

To get a clearer picture of the disorder, APA subdivided the symptoms according to its three most important traits, inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). As most of the symptoms of ADHD may typically be present in normal behavioral development, APA established that only when six or more of the symptoms are present in a child can he or she be considered as suffering from ADHD (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Furthermore, the child should also exhibit these symptoms within a period of 6 months or more to completely confirm the occurrence of the disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).

     Actually, hyperactivity is not one particular condition: it is “a set of behaviors” such as excessive restlessness and short attention span that are quantitatively and qualitatively different from those children of the same sex, mental age, and socioeconomic status (Gutskey, T.R. 1991).