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Essay On ADHD

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The number of children who are affected by Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is continually on the rise (Attention-Deficit, 2017). From 2003-2012 the percentage of children diagnosed has risen from 7.8% to 11% (Attention-Deficit, 2017b). With ADHD continuing to affect more and more children it is important that there is a place for parents, teachers, and babysitters to visit that gives them answers to questions they may be having about a child. The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) produced this page as a helpful place for those who may have questions on ADHD to visit. They give an individual a better understanding of what ADHD is. The website includeds sections on: signs and symptoms, possibly causes or risk …show more content…

An important step in looking to see if a website has authority is looking to see if there is contact information (A, n.d.). The NIMH does provide information to reach them by telephone, email, and mail. One can also find more information about the director and staff on the “about us” tab. As well, this page clearly shows that it was published by a National Institution that is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This shows that the page is an authoritative source. Authority is not the NIMH strongest category since they do not have a direct author listed; however, they still succeed in showing the reader they are trustworthy. Accuracy shows how reliable the information is, and ensures it is free from error (A, n.d.). At first look, one would assume that this website is free from error because of its url. The url ends in “.gov”, this shows that the page was published by the government. It can be assumed that the government would not publish a site that contained false information. On the NIMH website when reading, one can clearly see that there is scientific proof behind what is being said. The facts and information align with other trustworthy websites. An example is that NIMH states that there is no direct cause of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, n.d.). The CDC’s webpage on ADHD also states that no definite cause has been found (Attention-Deficit, 2-17a). This website also has a section on clinical trials showing

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