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ADHD—overcoming the specter of overdiagnosis, 2002
Case study for adhd
Case study for adhd
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Introduction
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is often referred to as childhood hyperactivity, is a severe and chronic disorder for children. It is one of the most prevalent childhood disorders, and affects 3% to 5% of the school-age population. Boys outnumber girls three or more to one. Children with ADHD can experience many behavioral difficulties that often manifest in the form of inattention, being easily distracted, being impulsive, and hyperactivity. As a result, children with ADHD may develop emotional, social, developmental, academic, and family problems because of the frustrations and problems they are constantly experiencing.
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.
Therefore, it is imperative that teachers, administrators, and school counselors become familiar with the characteristics of children with ADHD. It is also vital that they know how to properly assess for diagnosing ADHD, and that they learn the intervention strategies for children, along with their families. The child needs to have a ?team? of caring individuals working with them to help them overcome and deal with the ?hurdles? that living with ADHD can bring.
This paper will address four key areas of ADHD. They include: The causes of ADHD, the characteristics of ADHD, classroom intervention, and parental intervention. We will also discuss key medications that are being used to treat ADHD.
Causes of ADHD
When parents are told that their child has ADHD, it is only natural that their first response is to want to know what caused this disorder. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. For years researchers have been trying to find the underlying cause of ADHD, but have yet to come up with a definitive explanation.
Although there are several theories to try to explain the causes of ADHD, most experts agree that it is most likely not any single cause, but instead a combination of factors that causes ADHD.
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is the most common psychiatric condition effecting 9.5% of school-aged children in the United States (intuniv, 2013). If the disorder goes untreated, it will cause more long-term side effects and difficulties for the individual as an adult. Adults who have this condition face several adversities in every day life, such as impulsive behavior, low self-esteem and poor work performance. People are not aware of the complications that come with ADHD in adults. Not knowing the symptoms of the disease can cause people to not be sympathetic when they are interacting with someone with disorder.
sure what causes ADHD, although some suggest that genes play a dominant role. Most likely
Many times, ADHD is diagnosed by unqualified people. A parent usually receives a letter from the child’s teacher stating that he or she is exhibiting behavior problems and a meeting is scheduled. At the meeting, the parents are urged to allow faculty to assess the child. A report is then written and the parents take the child and the report to the doctor and the child is given medication, usually a stimulant, to cure the child of his or her illness.
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.
As stated previously, medication is the most common option that parents choose for their children. The most common prescriptions are Dexedrine, Cylert, Ritalin, and Adderall. Medication is highly effective. For around 75%-90% of prescribed patients, these work to solve their issues. This is a definite advantage to taking medication is that it is almost guaranteed to work. There are drawbacks to taking medication however; the trial-and-error process, cost of medication, and the side effects that can come with medication. As with any brain chemical medication, there comes a trial-and-error process to determine the right balance and the right amount to really curb the symptoms that come with. Just like any medication that people need to operate, the cost does add up whereas with behavioral therapy, there is no medication to buy and thus no costs. Lastly, there are side effects that come with ADHD. These can be insomnia, nervousness, headaches, and weight loss. Despite all these drawbacks, medication is the fastest and most effective way to treat ADHD (“Identifying and Treating Attention Deficit
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 ...
"There are three broad sets of symptoms associated with ADHD: inattention and distractibility, hyperactivity, and impulsivity;" however, it is not necessary to have symptoms from all three of these areas to be diagnosed with ADHD (University of Illinois, n.d.). The hyperactivity and impulsivity symptoms are more prevalent in males and are more severe earlier in their childhood. Many children with ADHD also experience secondary problems, which can include academic problems and problems with their peers (University of Illinois, n.d.).
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly referred to as simply ADHD, is the most commonly diagnosed disorder among American children today. According to the National Institute on Mental Health an estimated 3 to 5 percent of school age children are affected by this disorder. (1) There are more diagnosed cases of ADHD of in the United States than there are anywhere in the world. The main symptoms of ADHD include "developmentally inappropriate levels of attention, concentration, activity, distractibility, and impulsivity." (1) While the number of people diagnosed with ADHD increases dramatically every year, there is still much about the disorder that is not understood. While scientists have deduced that ADHD originates in the brain, they still have many questions about the nature of it. The classification of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder has become quite a controversial topic in American society today. There are some who believe that by recognizing the symptoms associated with the disorder as ADHD; science is simply putting a band-aid on a problem that could be otherwise corrected with behavior modification.
One of the most controversial parts of ADD/ADHD is how it is diagnosed, for one and as stated earlier there is no physical tests to confirm you have the disorder. Secondly, there is no established single cause and the existing method of assessment is not standardized meaning one psychiatrist may use a written test while others may depend on what parents and teachers say, and what one psychiatrist classify as ADHD another may not. Thirdly there are other problems, which can cause behavioral concerns such as dyslexia, hearing problems, family problems, depression and anxiety (Rutherfor...
In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, an extensive debate has been developing for hundreds of years as to whether or not the madness of Hamlet, the play's protagonist, was legitimate or simulated. Hamlet may have been sane throughout the play however it may also be true that Hamlet slipped into madness due to several different factors. Hamlet may have feigned his insanity but evidence shows that his insanity was truly authentic. Hamlet tried to feign insanity as a plan but was soon led into a dark hole causing his head to spin out of control.
ADHD problems can effect many areas of a child¡¦s life: self-esteem, academic skills, social relationships, and family relationships. Treatments need to be as broad as the effect and include Psycho-Education, Medication (including herbs and homeopathic drugs), Behavioral therapies, Social Skills, Organization and/or time management, Family therapy, Individual therapy, and Sensory-motor integration. ¡§Stimulants such...
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.
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction, is one of the most common mental disorders among children. (Elia, Ambrosini, Rapoport, 1999) It affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, with approximately 60% to 80% of these children experiencing persistence of symptoms into adolescence and adulthood, causing a lifetime of frustrated dreams and emotional pain. There are two types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: an inattentive type and a combined type. The symptoms of ADHD can be classified into three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This behaviour stops ADHD sufferers from focussing deliberately on organising and completing a specific task that they may not enjoy, learning new skills or information is proved to be impossible. An example of such behaviour is recognised by the report written by the National Institute of Mental Health where one of the subjects under study was unable to pass schooling examinations due to her inattentive behaviour. Such behaviour can damage the person's relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and diminishing self-esteem. (National Institute of Mental Health 1999) There are also secondary symptoms which are associated with ADHD, such as learning disorders, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, tic disorders, and conduct disorders. (Spencer, Biederman, and Wilens 1999 in Monastra V, Monastra D, George, 2002)
ADHD is commonly talked about in a joking manner, but is a serious disorder. ADHD can be present it different levels of severity, but should be dealt with in the same way. Doctors do not take enough time to fully understand each case of their patients, which can lead to the wrong treatment option or even a misdiagnosis. Once ADHD is diagnosed in a legitimate case, there are many ways to manage and treat the disorder. ADHD has become over medicated and should use more psychotherapy because it is proven to be more effective. Doctors, psychologists, and scientists are still learning more about ADHD every day, and it is still not fully understood. It may be possible in the future for ADHD to be a curable disorder, but, until that day comes, it is important to be informed and understand the disorder as much as possible.
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder also known as ADHD, is one of the most common childhood psychological disorders and can continue through adulthood. ADHD is diagnosed in 6-7% of children. The rate of diagnosis is similar between countries. Although is it not known why boys are about three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD.