Is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd ) Over Diagnosed?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most widely diagnosed “mental-illness” in children in the United States today, and approximately 99% of children diagnosed are prescribed daily doses of methylphenidate in order to control undesirable behaviors. (Stolzer)

The cause of ADHD is unknown. Many researchers think that ADHD is caused by genetics, brain injuries, sugar and environmental links (Hasan, S. (Ed.). Research have found that certain areas of the brain are about 5 to 10 percent smaller in size and activity in kids with ADHD (Hasan, S. (Ed.). Another study has suggested that children who are exposed to a lot of television and video games at a young age has been linked to ADHD (Hasan, S. (Ed.). Some other researcher have also linked that mothers who smoked or used alcohol doing

Today many of the foods we buy from the store, especially packaged foods contain food additives and food dyes and majority of the population knows chemicals that are added to foods are not healthy choices and may lead to negative health effects. In this paper I will be discussing how food additives and food dyes promote and trigger a health problem known as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According to Health Canada “a food additive is any chemical substance that is added to food during preparation or storage and either becomes a part of the food or affects its characteristics for the purpose of achieving a particular technical effect (1).” Food products containing food additives

There is no actual cause for ADHD though it is linked to heredity and other neurological factors, for instance, pregnancy and birth complications. In addition, food intake is not the source of ADHD and removing specific food items only benefit some children (from the ages four to seven).

Is the overdiagnosis of ADHD a product of societal pressure or a looser standard of qualification for medical assistance/diagnosis for ADHD? There is no question on whether or not ADHD is being diagnosed more often. In 2011 there were 6.4 million ADHD diagnoses, and many people are looking for answers of why this is happening. Immediately, most people point to the higher stresses from our advancing society and the pressure from other parents and people to the major increase. Although some believe the stressful environment created by our advancing society is at the core of the increase in ADHD diagnoses, the lack of proper procedure when handing out psychostimulants is the more prevalent issue regarding ADHD overdiagnosis. This can be attributed to the age of the child within their grade, a lack of understanding in adults.

There is no real evidence of what causes ADHD. There have been many theories and hypothesis on the subject but no real concrete evidence of what causes the disease or how to prevent it. According to WebMDHealth (2004) inherited genetic factors is the most common theory on the cause of ADHD, certain brain activity lead scientist to believe that a certain abnormal

The increase of ADHD diagnosis has raised many questions and concerns among the public and doctors. However, the percentage of ADHD diagnosis has changed over the last several years. The rise of ADHD diagnosis is, in fact, occurring in the United States. According to (Brown University, 2013) the amount of children that received an ADHD diagnosis increased by 22 percent in a four – year period based on data from the CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. The growth of ADHD diagnosis is detrimental to society because it affects how ADHD is diagnosed, treatment, and the estimated number of patients that received an ADHD diagnosis.

The topic that I selected for my commentary essay is the increase in ADHD diagnosis. The perspectives I have noticed regarding my topic is that over diagnoses and the over use of ADHD medication may have contributed to the rise in ADHD diagnosis.

While the cause of ADHD is not exactly clear, there are some different ideas of what could cause or help develop it. Genetics, one’s environment, and the development of the person could all be causes of ADHD(“Mayo Clinic”). ADHD can run in a family, so some people could develop it from their parents and the genes that get passed down from them. If one is exposed to lead, it could heighten the chances of

Theory suggests that ADHD is caused by a neurological and chemical deficiency that affects the development of the central nervous system. It is believed that this lack of development directly affects the part of the brain responsible for concentration. ADHD is also believed to be partly due to

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

As children we were used to jump around and ask a lot of question and be careless. Being hyper, curios, and talkative is part of the definition of the term childhood. Most children enjoy doing these activities, and about 15-20 years ago, it was very normal for a child to be hyperactive or talkative. However, nowadays, these behaviors may suggest a very serious condition. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a very usual childhood disorder, which can continue even through the adolescence and adulthood if left untreated. Symptoms of this disorder are very similar to what we defined as childhood behaviors but in a more obvious or harmful manner. Symptoms include lack of focus and attention, difficulty controlling behaviors, and hyperactivity. Children with ADHD can be defiant, socially inept, or aggressive. Also, adults with this condition have trouble getting organized, staying focused, and not thinking before acting. Moreover, They can be noisy, fidgety, and unable to adapt to any new situation. In this paper, I am going to discuss different types of ADHD, possible reasons for this condition, details about its symptoms, diagnosis, treatment methods, and possible flaws of this disorder.

Some of the cases are hard to see and diagnosis. 17% of the 1,000 mental health professionals surveyed some of the mistaken diagnosed kids with adhd. There was errors for the boys because they fit the clinician's stereotypes. And in girls it is underdiagnosed in girls because of the subter symptoms like daydreaming and spaciness.

Adhd doesn 't necessarily mean that your kid just has to be hyper , it gets deeper than that. As in ancestors, what foods you eat or drink, physical activity and more. With that being said a lot of children are being diagnosed simply because they are young and full of energy not because of adhd like behavior. There is many more behavioral problems that can be mistaken as adhd that your child could have. Adhd is confused as being the only cause of hyperactivity and distractibility. But what many people don 't know is that adhd can be caused by many other things such as sleep disorders, anxiety, and poor working memory skills. There is also some foods that have preservatives in them that can cause adhd as well.

Some major causal variables that have been identified are categorised as neurological factors, toxic reactions, genetic linkages and environmental factors. However, most of the available evidence found, points to neurological factors, which are imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain, and genetic variables as the primary causes of ADHD. The environmental factors and toxic reactions (such as lead exposure and food additives) are considered very minimal causes of ADHD. The search for causes of ADHD continues. There are many variables which are biological or thought to have an affect on biological functioning.