Effects Of Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a syndrome that is comprised of a variety of behaviors that often arises in early childhood and is characterized by extremely high levels of motor activity, difficulties with attention span and concentrating, and/or impulsive behaviors (Cook & Cash, 2011). It has been estimated in the United States that approximately 20% of children and adolescents display signs of a psychological or behavioral disorder according to Luthy, David, Macintosh, Eden, and Beckstrand (2015). ADHD is considered one of the more prevalent psychological disorders in children, with approximately 3-7% of school-age children with an ADHD diagnosis as mentioned by Luthy et al. (2015).

Analysis of parent-reported data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2011–2013 found that 10% of children ages 4–17 years were diagnosed with ADHD (Pastor et al. 2015) Boys (13.3%) are twice more affected by ADHD than girls (5.6%)(Pastor et al. 2015). A similar study found that the prevalence rate of ADHD diagnosis increased from 7.0% in 1997–1999 to 10.2% in 2012–2014(ADHD General Prevalence. (2014).

According the the American Psychological Association, ADHD diagnosis have increased from 7.8% in 2003 to 11% in 2011 or a 41% increase. In addition, teachers are discovering their students are having more and more ADHD behaviors in their classrooms.

Not every country has its data and statistics on ADHD, as mental disorders are not too cared for and dismissed. However, 175 countries show around 3 – 12% of their population has ADHD. The statistics have risen over the past years since 1997, although most evidence in research indicates it is undertreated in most

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is the lifespan neurodevelopment disorder, that symptomizes of inattentiveness, impulsiveness, forgetfulness, distractibility and hyperactivity and is highly heritable and this heritable disorder has been transition, or a process that events throughout the lifespan should not affected it, into adulthood (Swift, Sayal, & Hollis, (2014); Ertekin, et. al.,). Often, adults with ADHD also experience a negative effect on socio-personal adaptation (Miranda et al., 2014). Young adults with ADHD fall I not the category between Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, also known as CAMHS, and Adult Mental Health Service, or AMHS: it is possible that ADHD in adults is not recognizable

Experts at the National Institute of Mental Health, estimate that ADHD affects 3 to 5 percent of school age children and two to three times as many boys as girls. One child in a classroom of 20, is affected. This is not an epidemic, however the media likes to sensationalize ADHD, as if it were. If one person in a family is diagnosed with ADD, there is about a 25 percent probability that another person in the family also has some form of Attention Deficit Disorder". (Peter Jaksa, Ph.D.)

Definition: According to National Institute of Mental Health Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental disorder that causes above-normal levels of hyperactive and disruptive behaviors.

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.

According to a study by the Centers for Control and Prevention of Diseases (CDC), published in the latest edition of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the percentage of children aged 4-17 years with a diagnosis of ADHD increased by 42 percent between 2003 and 2011. From 7.8 percent registered in 2003, the number of diagnoses became 11.0 percent in 2011, according to the report based on cases reported by parents. "The increase we have seen in the percentage of children diagnosed with ADHD by staff doctor is among non-Hispanic, and Hispanic (Warner,

Four percent of all children in the United States Of America are diagnosed with ADHD (“When Will America Just Say No”). From 2008-2012 the rate of children diagnosed with ADHD went up 30 percent ( While there are this many diagnoses’ not all of them are correctly given. Some people pretend to have ADHD so that they can abuse the medicine with it. This is one of the reasons people are divided at giving their child the medication and not. Although some people think their diagnoses is correct, a lot of times it’s not and it could be solved by making the test more complex because we don’t want children on medication they don’t need, it can have harsh side effects, and pretty much anyone who wants it can get it for their own reasons.

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 9.5% of children have been diagnosed with ADHD

Throughout years, data & statistics estimated that the percentage of this disorder is higher rated in communities in the United States. In 2007, geographic percentage a high number of children who are diagnosed with ADHD are living in the U.S. Nevada the lowest of 1.2% and North Carolina the highest at 9.4%. (CDC) The disorder has changed over the years, but in early childhood diagnosis, the disorder are found highly when a child enters school, or have been seen by their physician. School districts around the country has a vast number of reports of students that have ADHD. The American Psychiatric Association notes that 3%-7% of school aged students struggled in the classroom, due to ADHD. There are websites and blogs that are made public for advertisement in a commercialized form for the readers’ intent. (DSM-IV-TR)

We must first understand what ADHD is and how it affects the people diagnosed with it. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD is one of the most common childhood disorders that can continue through adolescence and into adulthood. Approximately 3 to 5 percent of children are diagnosed with this disorder, which translates into about 2 million children in the United States. Symptoms of this disorder include the inability to stay focused on tasks and pay attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a diagnosis of ADHD in children ages four to seven is rising with a total of approximately 11% (6.4 million) children being diagnosed in 2011. Rates of diagnosis seem to be increasing by 3% per year between 1997-2006 and 5% per year between 2003-2011.

The increase of ADHD is a trend because it has been occurring for several years. ADHD is one of the most well – known neurodevelopmental disorders Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), (2016). The possible consequences of the increase of ADHD is that the ADHD diagnosis will continue to rise, patients will not receive proper care, and ADHD diagnosis and medication will be overused. According to Gordon, J (2013) a study from the state of California showed the diagnosis of ADHD increased by twenty-four percent between the years 2001 and 2011. The awareness of ADHD may have contributed to increasing of ADHD diagnosis in the United States. Many doctors and physicians have noticed the rise in ADHD diagnosis occurring over the past several years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered in their data that parent-reported cases of ADHD led to the increase by 22 percent between the years 2003 and 2007 Gordon, J

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, normally abbreviated as ADHD, is a disorder in which a person has trouble paying attention and focusing on tasks, tends to act without thinking and has trouble sitting still. This condition may begin in early childhood and continue into adulthood. Without treatment ADHD can cause problems at home, school, work and any social gatherings.