Given New Alternative Methods, is Medication for ADHD Completely Necessary?

The CDC webpage has many details and facts about ADHD, and the focus is pointed towards children with ADHD, but does not tell us or discuss any ways to treat the disorder. The stated facts are credible and accurate as a government service, if those parents that read that information would think there are limited resources available to help treat their children with ADHD, and that is with a combination of behavior therapy, medication, or with the two together(CDC,2016). According to the physician Sir George Frederick ADHD was called a “defect of moral control.” Even to this day doctors still believe this defect to be true; before any child is diagnosed with ADHD or given medication testing needs to be done. The treatment for ADHD should be individualized (overview of

In this day and age, drugs are being prescribed without hesitation. In fact, many of these drugs are being prescribed for children with various disorders. One of these disorders is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). An estimated five to ten percent of children are diagnosed with this syndrome (Taylor 11). One of the methods to treat this disorder is to use stimulants, specifically Ritalin. This method is controversial because it has many side effects and its long-term effects are unknown. It can also lead to addiction. Approximately two to three percent of elementary school children are taking some kind of stimulant to treat ADHD (Taylor 64). Since so many children are taking this medication, new problems have arisen.

Treatments can relieve many of the symptoms, but there is no cure for the disorder. Hygiene and diet can be beneficial in reducing the symptoms of a child with ADHD. Parents who have children with this disorder try to reduce the child’s sugar intake and also their intake of processed foods. Nutritional supplements can be a treatment for ADHD based on the assumption that certain nutrients are crucial for normal brain functioning. Macronutrients (amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates, and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) have propped as treatment for ADHD (Spetie 278). When a patient is under the care of a physician their weight and vital signs are monitored on a routinely bases in order to insure there are no drastic changes. The most common type of medication used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a “Stimulant”. Stimulants have a calming effect on children with ADHD. Medication reduces children’s hyperactivity and impulsivity which can improve their ability to focus work, learn and live a normal life. Medications for ADHD can come in different forms, such as pills, liquid, skin patches, and capsules. Some of the medications that are widely used are Adderall (amphetamine) approved for children age 3 and older. Another common medication is Concerta (methylphenidate which is long acting. These medications can have different side effects on the patient, so it may take trial and error and close monitoring of the patient to determine what medication is best for the

One controversial area of pediatric (children's) medicine is in the treatment of condition called Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Symptoms of ADHD often include: hyperactivity, impulsive behavior and the inability to concentrate. In some instances, the symptoms extend beyond that into areas such as anti-social activities and even aggression.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes children to have problems with paying attention, trouble with following instructions, have impulsive behaviors and become easily distracted. Medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are used to treat the symptoms of this disorder by helping the patient to focus and pay attention while also curbing their impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. Side effects of these medications are, but not limited to, anxiety, addiction and in some cases psychosis. Proponents of giving ADHD medication to children argue that ADHD is a real disorder in children and the medication does improve the symptoms of the disorder by a large margin as well as being cost effective.

Although medication therapy is one of the main choices for the diagnosis of ADHD, many parents do not wish to use medication therapy on their children. Recently more studies are being conducted on other ways to treat this order. Alternative or complementary therapy are starting to begin

In the United States, 9.5 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 17 were diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD (Morris 1). ADHD is defined as a constant issue with hyperactivity, lack of focus, inability to control behavior, or a combination of these (Berger 1). In order to quell the difficulties caused by ADHD, parents will usually resort to sending their child to a physician to prescribe a specific medication. These medications serve a great purpose, but also include numerous unwanted side effects. As of 2010, 48 percent of 325 surveyed patients reported side effects caused by ADHD medications, the most frequent being loss of appetite, sleep problems and mood swings. About 21 percent of these side effects

Families who have children with ADHD often experience much higher anxiety and stress levels. A large number of children, almost half, will exhibit signs of ADHD by the age of four. However, most children are not diagnosed until he or she reaches elementary school. The behaviors that are associated with ADHD in children put them at risk for a host of other problems and complications such as completing their education, alcohol and other drug abuse, and an increased risk for delinquency. There has been much research on ADHD in recent years and many different types of medications and interventions have proven to be quite helpful. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, children with ADHD can learn to cope with the daily demands of the classroom, social situations, family interactions, and life in general.

By year eight socioeconomic status and family structure were the only predictive variables for ADHD treatment. A separate study highlighted the influence that nonclinical factors such as family size may have in mediating the use of pharmacologic therapies for children with ADHD. The most common stimulant medications are methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and mixed amphetamine salts (Adderall). Atomoxetine (Strattera), guanfacine (Intuniv) and clonidine (Kapvay) are non-stimulant drugs approved for the treatment of ADHD. Other medications which may be prescribed off-label include certain antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). ADHD is best managed not just through medications but also with social interactions.

There is an alternative medication though. According to a study done on a group of 40 children, “...combined therapy of executive function and sensory integration to children reduces attention deficit and hyperactivity of the children.” (Studying the Effectiveness). What the writer of this study is saying is that therapy can make a child's ADHD affect them less. Another thing is been suggested is “school-based intervention strategies including behavioral interventions, modifications to academic instruction, and home-school communication programs”(ADHD in the Classroom).

ADHD was first described in 1902, and initial diagnostic classifications emphasized the symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity, before 1970, the diagnosis of ADHD was relatively rare for school children and almost nonexistent in adolescents and adults, but between 1980 and

To add to that, the research that has been conducted on the disorder has led to a variety of effective treatments. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2014) the most widely used medication is a stimulant. There is a wide variety of stimulants available for ADHD subjects. Although, with these stimulants come side effects including sleep problems, decreased appetite, anxiety and other diverse uncommon side effects (NIMH, 2014). Stimulants tend to calm children with ADHD. However, these medications can be detrimental to the patient in many ways. Certain medications have been subject to abuse, including Adderall and Ritalin. These medications are in some cases abused by patients who are over diagnosed. Since these patients do not have the disorder they can feel the side effects and use the drug to achieve a certain kind of high. When using these drugs for non-medical purposes they can seem to replicate the effects of cocaine

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.

For a child to be diagnosed for ADHD, the child or adult has to have the symptoms for 6 or more months before the doctor can diagnose the child or adult.Certain medicines can help people with ADHD by improving their focus and attention and reducing their impulsiveness and hyperactivity. Some of the medications are Adderall, Adderall XR, Concerta, DAytrana, Desoxyn, Dexedrine, Dextrostat, Focalin, Focalin XR, Metadate ER, Metadate CD, Methylin, Ritalin, Ritalin SR, Ritalin LA, Strattera, amd Vyvanse.

Those children that are diagnosed with ADHD are usually prescribed psycho-stimulant medications, such as ‘methylphenidate’, otherwise known as ‘Ritalin’, as the primary method of treatment. (Chandler, 2010).