Children are full of energy naturally, but there are some people who determined this to be a problem. According to Julian Haber, “More than 90 percent of methylphenidate (Ritalin) is produced and prescribed for children and adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” (2). Doctors, teachers, and parents who support this medication claim that it helps children focus their energy and stay task oriented. However, they should also take a close look at possible long term effects this type of medication may have mentally and physically. Children today are tomorrow’s adults so it is critical to make the right choices when dealing with the future. American children are being prescribed medication for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) more than ever before because this is a relatively new disease, which contributes to the lack of options available for treatment and creates a greater chance of not only being over diagnosed but also misdiagnosed. ADHD is a name that is becoming more relevant in households across America. The characteristics that define ADHD have been around as long as mankind. This disease is defined as: “a childhood mental disorder with onset before 7 years of age and involving impaired or diminished attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity” (Mosby’s Medical Dictionary 166). There have always been differences in people that allow some to be more/less outgoing, more/less focused, or more/less impulsive. The change is not the actions of people with these differences, rather, the change comes from the perception of society as a whole and whether this behavior is acceptable or not. A child that is accompanied with erratic behavior is viewed as a problem and the assumption is occasionally made ... ... middle of paper ... ...cine were not available and this gives most people an open mind about taking medication but there must be extreme caution used when dealing with something as potent as certain medications. The main goal is to prepare future generations for success and provide a clear understanding to children about when it is necessary to take medication and when it is not. Doing the right thing starts with the leaders of today. Works Cited Breggin, Peter R. Talking Back To Ritalin. Revised ed. Cambridge, MA: Perseus Publishing, 2001. 5, 6, 64. Print. Haber, Julian S. The Great Misdiagnosis ADHD. Dallas, Texas: Taylor Publishing Company, 2000. 2, 22. Print. "ADHD." Mosby's Medical Dictionary. 8th ed. 2009. 165-66. Print. Taylor, John F. The Hyperactive Child And The Family The Complete What-To-Do Handbook. Pickering, Ontario, Canada: Beaverbooks, 1980. 17, 61. Print.
A central nervous system (CNS) stimulant, methylphenidate—more commonly known as Ritalin—is drug prescribed in the treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) ((1)). AD/HD, by definition, is "developmentally inappropriate behavior, including poor attention skills, impulsivity, and hyperactivity" sustained for more than 6 months, appearing usually during childhood2 ((2)). Figures estimate an approximate 3-5% of children are affected by the disorder. Differing views, however, exist about the legitimacy of the majority of these diagnoses. In light of this, the object of this assessment is to examine the bodily and societal implications of methylphenidate.
Dr. Peter Breggin is the director and founder of the Center for the Study of Psychiatry and Psychology. He is a Harvard graduate and considers himself a critic of biological psychiatry. His credentials are revered among his peers, as his website stated. Ginger Breggin whom, I presume, is a relative of the good doctor built that website. Breggin has written more than a dozen books attempting to educate the reader against using psychiatric drugs, including several titles examining Ritalin. I...
ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). (2004). In The concise Corsini encyclopedia of psychology and behavioral science. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreference.com.library.gcu.edu%3A2048%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Fwileypsych%2Fadhd_attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder%2F0
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)
U.S. Heath News reported (2013) that 6.4 million children ages 4 to 17 have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Since 2007, the utilization of stimulant medication to treat ADHD has jumped 11% nationally as a whole. It was also reported that the U.S. spends more on prescription drugs to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder than it does for all but six other medical conditions (U.S. News Health, 2013). The number of ADHD diagnosed teens prescribed stimulants, such as Ritalin and Adderall, will be increasing over time as the new guidelines set by the American Academy of Pediatrics now recognizes physicians prescribing ADHD stimulant medications to childre...
ADHD, or Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. There are many symptoms associated with ADHD but the most common include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and hyperactivity. Scientists are not exactly sure of what causes ADHD but they are more comfortable with the idea that a lot of different factors play a role in its development, such as, genes, environment, brain injuries, sugar, and food additives. The most widely used treatment is the drugs but this is not the only way to treat ADHD.
Chandler, C. (2011). The Science of ADHD: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. New York:
While the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association) put forth a list of behaviors which predominantly fall in the category of ADD and/or ADHD, many researchers still maintain that there is no set way to diagnosis or develop a treatment program to these disorders which will be guaranteed to work. At the same time there is another set of researchers who maintain that these disorders actually do not exist at all. However, in the real world, parents and educators still continue to struggle with the task of coping with children who are hyperactive and who have very low attention span and whose behavior often interferes with schooling and family life. [Armstrong, 1997]
ADHD is a disorder that has been on the rise for several years now. The disorder is one that can cause many impairments to a child’s attention span, making it difficult to concentrate and to keep on task, especially on schoolwork. (Graham, 2007) The statistics have been growing ...
ADHD is an exceedingly real diagnosis for many children in the United States. Are we over diagnosing our little ones just to keep from dealing with unpleasant behavior? “ On average 1 of every 10 to 15 children in the United States has been diagnosed with the disorder, and 1 in every 20 to 25 uses a stimulant medication” (Mayes, Bagwell, & Erkulwater, 2008). Several believe that virtually all ADHD diagnoses are retractable with appropriate discipline of children instead of being so hasty in medicating them. The material found on the CDC website describes facts about ADHD, it clarifies the signs, symptoms, types, causes, diagnosis tools, and treatment forms of ADHD. What the article neglects to go into is the reality that there is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding ADHD. The CDCs usage of ethos, pathos, and logos and by what method the website manipulates them to affect the reader will be the basis of this paper.
The American heritage Dictionary defines Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder as, “an attention deficit disorder in which hyperactivity is present.” Attention Deficit Disorder is defined as, “A syndrome, usually diagnosed in childhood, characterized by a persistent pattern of impulsiveness, a short attention span, and often hyperactivity, and interfering especially with academic, occupational, and social performance.” ADHD is most often diagnosed during childhood and was formerly believed to have lessened and ended as the child matured but recent studies have found that between 35 and 50 % of all cases persist into adulthood.
Stimulant drugs are widely used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. These stimulants dramatically reduce the hyperactivity of sufferers and improve their ability to focus, learn and work. Such medication may also improve physical coordination, for instance handwriting and sports. Research completed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests that these medicines may also help children with an accompanying conduct disorder to control their impulsive, destructive behaviours. The three medications that have been proven by the NIMH to be most effective in both children and adults suffering from ADHD are: methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine or Dextrostat), and pemoline (Cylert). (NIMH 1999) Yet there is currently much research on the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, such as t...
In 1902, a physician by the name of Sir George F. published a series of lectures to the Royal College of Physicians in England in which he described a group of impulsive children with significant behavioral problems, caused by a genetic dysfunction and not by poor child rearing?children who today would be easily recognized as having ADHD (NIMH 1). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and an inability to remain focused on tasks or activities. ADHD afflicts an estimated 3-9% of children, with symptoms usually appearing by the age of seven. Some key characteristics of the disorder include a person who:
McFarlane, J., Groff, J., O’Brien, A. & Watson, K. (2003) Behaviors of children who are