Solving the Ritalin Riddle

Ritalin is another example of a prescription ADHD stimulant that is misused frequently with a high mortality rate from overdose. Ritalin, which is more prevalent with high school age students, is primarily misused for weight loss and a feeling being high. The majority of children misusing prescription drugs such a Ritalin are under the impression that it is safer then illegal street drugs (CCHR, 2013). Ritalin is the most common stimulant drug prescribed to children with ADHD, but is also prescribed for other disorders, such as cancer, brain injury and pain management (Morton & Stockton, 2000). According to Morton & Stockton (2000) the effects of Ritalin are similar to the feeling of using cocaine, which may be one of the reasons that the ADHD drug is misused. According to research done by Musser et al. (1998) most school aged children using Ritalin did not think that Ritalin or any other prescription medication for ADHD could be abused. This ignorance may be part of the overwhelming reason that drugs such as Ritalin are becoming more widely

Young children do not have the ability to adequately how they are feeling and the symptoms they are experiencing, so a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD is based on symptoms described by parents and teachers.

In the symptoms and diagnosis section, parents are able to see how physicians effectively diagnosis children and adults by asking a series of questions to figure out if the child has Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation or Predominantly Inattentive Presentation or a combination of both versions of the disease (CDC, 2011). Besides treating just the patient, the CDC informs parents that not only does the child have treatment options, but there is also parenting school that teaches parents on how to handle children that have this illness. There is also information about facts of ADHD and the CDC provides statistics for parents to overview. The CDC’s motto is to “Treat all persons with dignity, honesty, and respect” which means that parents can count on the CDC for providing correct information (CDC, 2013).

ADHD is a disorder that many psychiatrists, parents, and teachers are now labeling normal childhood behaviors as mental disorders. So you have to be careful with your children from now on as well.

The very first step in deciding if prescription medication is the right choice for a child is knowing with certainty that the child has a real medical condition. Studies show that close to one in five children are misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) (Sherlock, Tracy). If it is suspected that a child suffers from ADD it is important that the child receive extensive testing to make certain the diagnosis is accurate. There are several tests that can be administered by a specialist including: a general physical, a neurological exam, a comprehensive interview with the child and others in a position of care for the child, an observation of the child’s everyday activities, and psychological tests to measure IQ and social and

Every parent who has a child suffering from a psychological disorder that affects their behavior dreads a new school year. This means new teachers not aware of the disorder, more parent-teacher conferences, and more pressure to medicate the child. The most common and well known behavioral disorders are Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

The medications doctors are now prescribing are harming our children greatly. The drug that affects our children the most is Ritalin. Doctors are providing these medications to children even before they are properly diagnosed with ADHD. Some critics suggest that some youth are simply immature and have a lack of discipline, which can lead to being mistakenly diagnosed. When ADHD is properly diagnosed doctors still gravitate toward medication, when alternative treatments are available to them.

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.

Children with either ADD or ADHD generally exhibit inattentiveness in school and in social situations; they may act erratically, and often

The author begins by giving their own experience with their kin, and how they chose to avoid the teacher’s assertion. This transitions into how “…kids with IQs in the top 5 to 10 percent… are especially at risk for [an] ADHD misdiagnosis,” (Hosta). Moving forward the author asserts that giving children medication, is equivalent to abusing drugs. Consequently, with this assertion, the author maintains a demonization of medication, and uses fear mongering tactics to convince parents not to medicate their

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.

ADD and ADHD can also be looked at as developmental disorders. This is because some children seem to outgrow these conditions as they get older. These people were sometimes labeled underachievers when they were young, and now classified late bloomers since they have outgrown their disorders.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is quite easily the most common and over-diagnosed problem for youth in the United States. With symptoms that include fidgeting, talking too much, and impulsiveness how can it not be? Of course, according to the American Psychiatric Association, the child needs to display at least six or more of the 16 different symptoms attributed to this disorder for at least six months before a diagnosis should be made. However, there is a little known fact that brings the increasing amount of youth diagnosed with ADHD into question; schools get federal money for each child that is diagnosed with a mental or learning disorder, including ADHD. This can lead to teachers, or other school officials, taking advantage to get more money for the school. The father of a boy, who was being unfairly targeted by his school, decided to create a website to inform other parents about the scam surrounding school officials telling parents their children may have ADHD and need to be put on medication to control the symptoms.

Sadly, a lot of many children who may have ADHD/ADD are not given the services they are supposed to receive, and parents are many of times don’t know what type of assistance