Is ADHAD Over-Diagnosed? Essay

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).

There are various resources that parents and caregivers can access to get informed about ADHD. ADHD can have an impact on a child’s life. The National Health Institute reported that 3 – 5 % of children in the United States were diagnosed with ADHD, this is approximately two million children (Mall & Holland, 2013). According to (Schwarz & Cohen, n.d), mild symptoms of ADHD have been diagnosed. The rise of ADHD diagnosed over the past several years has caused increasing concerns among many doctors that ADHD diagnosis and medication are being overused. Parents and caregivers are also concerned about the increase in ADHD

The main topic of this page is information and statistics pertaining to children that possess the disorder of ADHD. It provided several statistics amongst the boys and girls that have ADHD. It also provided percentages and rates of how many children are diagnosed with the disorder. It revealed that statistically proven boys are more likely to become diagnosed with the disorder than females are. This site also provided statistics ad ratings of the different treatments that children are taking and how many American children received treatment for the disorder in 2011. There was also a percentage representing the children that may have been diagnosed with the disorder but are not receiving any type of treatment for it. There are also facts supporting that parents that may have been diagnosed with the disorder are more likely to reproduce children that suffer from the same disorder opposed to parents who have not been diagnosed or exhibited any behaviors or symptoms of ADHD. It is also quoted that children that have been diagnosed with the disorder may form a issue with maintaining any relationships or friendships amongst their peers. There was also a percentage that supported the fact that the children that suffer from the disorder of ADHD have a higher rate or major injuries and hospital visits compared to the average child. There is also a high economic cost to care and treat children that suffer from this disorder.

The increase of ADHD diagnosis has raised many concerns among doctors in the United States. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported new data that showed the number of children diagnosed with ADHD grew by 22 percent in a four-year period Brown University, (2013). The information from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) raised questions and concerns about the growth of ADHD diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stated that the percentage of children with a diagnosis of ADHD continue to increase in the United States. This information was provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to inform the public and raise awareness for ADHD. Researching the growth of

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.

This overdiagnosis is mainly in elementary aged children. Parents will bring in their kids that are only acting out and being hyper because of lack of discipline. According to Dr. Daniel F. Conner, who is a psychiatry professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, says that while there is scientific information out there about ADHD, many of us really don’t understand it (Reynolds 2). This is why there is such an over diagnosis, or misdiagnosis of ADHD, especially in children. Many parents think that it is mostly a behavioral thing and as soon as their kids start acting out, they rush them to the doctor. The doctor then just prescribes ADHD medicine to make it quick and the parents leave happy. This is not always the case with ADHD. It is much more than just a behavior thing, there are many things that ADHD actually is and that lies in the

These symptoms might represent expressions of internalized conflict or unmet emotional or educational needs that differ from child to child. Each child ideally should have a full medical, educational, and psychologic or psychiatric evaluation, prior to drugs being introduced and giving to the child. There isn’t a neuropsychological test result is that shows someone has ADHD, and no genetic indicator has been steadily recognized, and heritability studies are confounded by household environmental aspects. Furman concluded t after careful review of the evidence obtainable; it is not obvious that ADHD is either a disease or a neurobehavioral condition. ADHD is an assortment of symptoms, namely, inattention, impulsivity, and over activity, that overlay with other major and minor mental health

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.

When children begin to develop “symptoms” of ADHD, parents begin to become frustrated and lose patients, so they think they need to go to the doctors and have their own child put on medication. It is very common that children are misdiagnosed with ADHD. Eighty-two percent of teachers and sixty-eight percent of undergraduates agreed that ADHD is over diagnosed. “According to many critics, such over diagnosis raises the specter of medicalizing largely normal behavior and relying to heavily on pills rather than skills, such as teaching children better ways of coping with stress” (Lilenfeld).

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects school aged children with a high degree of inattention, excessive hyperactivity, impulsivity or a combination of any of these. In order for a child to be diagnosed with ADHD, there must be two different environments in which the child has displayed his or her symptoms and it must occur before the child is twelve years of age (Halter, 2014). Children have a high comorbidity level with developmental, learning and psychiatric problems. There are three types of ADHD; inattentive type, hyperactive-impulsive type and combination type. With inattentive type the child displays disorganization, is unable to complete tasks, becomes easily bored, and

It’s normal for a child to occasionally forget to do their homework, get fidgety when they lose interest in an activity, or speak out of turn during class time. But inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are all signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a neuro-development disorder and can start as early as three years old throughout adulthood. People with ADHD have trouble focusing on tasks and activities, this can have a negative impact on the individual in different ways. It can make the child feel alone, incompetent, and powerless and those that don’t understand this behavior only intensified their struggle. Family and schools have a major impact on the life of a child suffering with ADHD. Parents who

ADHD is an abbreviation for attention deficit/hyper activity disorder. It is commonly referred to as a psychiatric disorder in need of therapy. The origination of the disease is in the neuro-physiological brain construct, and the main cause of the disorder is considered to be genetic (Wilson, 2012). Many children with ADHD struggle with impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention (Unnever, Cullen, & Pratt, 2003). According to McNamara, Vervaeke, and Willoughby (2008), “attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder among children and adolescents. It affects between 3% and 5% of school age children” (p. 38). In a

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder also most commonly known as ADHD is one of the most common disorders among children and young adults. It is not only the most common but is on the rise in the United States over the past decade. Many people turn to the internet to find answers on such a disorder as ADHD. However, one has to be careful in what they read, because some websites are not accurate and have lots of bias towards one thing or another dealing with the subject of ADHD. Everyday Health’s webpage on ADHD is a very informative source and well put together by using authority, coverage and objectivity.

With ADHD there are some diets that may minimize the effects of the disorder. For instance a child with ADHD should be eating a fish twice a week and avoid high mercury fish. Also a doctor could perform a vitamin analysis to see what supplements a child may

“Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition affecting children and adults that is characterized by problems with attention, impulsivity, and overactivity” (CHADD). “It is a neurobiological disorder that affect 3-7 percent of school age children and may be seen as before the age of 7. The current diagnostic label is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, however, in the past several other names have been used, such as brain-damaged, minimal brain dysfunction, hyperkinetic impulsive disorder, and attention deficit disorder (CHADD). ADHD is a controversial disorder. Some understand it to be a true disability, while others believe “good teaching and discipline at home resolve the problems” (Kauffman 2005).