Medicating children has always been a controversial issue. As you are probably already imagining, there are numerous concerns about this issue. Some people fear that medicating children and adolescents can throw a wrench into healthy development since many medications effect the workings of developing brains. Others are worried because child and adolescent bodies react to medications differently than adult bodies do; they might experience side effects more strongly or new side effects may even arise. What I am particularly interested in, though, is the concern about whether medicating adolescents puts them at a higher risk for later substance abuse. In particular, I am interested in studying children receiving stimulant treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The reason I am focusing on ADHD is because people with attention disorders are thought to be at higher risk for substance use in the first place. They are known to have what many people call ‘an addictive personality’, meaning that they easily become obsessed with or addicted to things. This is not actually a medical term, but is a term that the general population is familiar with. If medicating individuals at a young age increases chances for later substance use, this could be very dangerous. Since there has been a recent rise in the number of children being diagnosed with ADHD, this concern is becoming increasingly important. My purpose in writing this paper is to help reduce worries. According to my research, I have found that medicating children for ADHD does not increase risk for future substance abuse and it might even reduce the risk. As stated before, people diagnosed with attention disorders, especially conduct disorder and att... ... middle of paper ... ...ibed. If parents are knowledgeable about treatment options, it could be beneficial not only to the child, but to the family and other social situations where the child participates. Although medicating children and adolescents is a controversial decision, research suggests that it has constructive lifelong outcomes. References Yang, R. (2010). Does medication benefit the long-term psychiatric outcomes of children with ADHD? The British Journal of Psychiatry, 197 (414) pp. 413-416 Kousha, M., Shahrivar, Z., Alaghband-rad, J. (2011) Substance Use Disorder and ADHD: Is ADHD a Particularly Specific Risk Factor? Journal of Attention Disorders 16 (4) pp. 325-332 Wilens, T. E., Faraone, S. V., Biederman, J., Gunawardene, S. (2003). Does Stimulant Therapy of Attention-Defecit/Hyperactivity Disorder Beget Later Substance Abuse? Pediatrics 111 (1) pp. 179-185
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.
Like Jason, more and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD or its less hyperactive cousin, attention deficit disorder (ADD). And, correspondingly, during the past decade the production of stimulants used to treat ADD has risen dramatically, (see Graph 1.). However, an increasing number of parents, doctors, and public health officials are becoming alarmed about the jump in the use of Ritalin and amphetamines to treat ADD. In the last year, at least three prestigious medical journals published articles examining whether the condition is being overdiagnosed and American children are being drugged unnecessarily, (N...
When dealing with adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD may become a challenge for many parents. Knowing the facts about this disorder and how to treat the problem is the key to a healthy lifestyle for adolescents as well as families. Many therapies and medications are available to families with children with ADHD but many questions that parents have with their children with ADHD is which therapy is best and what would work best with their children and their quality of life. The question of which therapy, alternative versus medication therapy would improve adolescent’s quality of life and behavior modification.
As a college student, the amount of students on powerful meds for ADHD and ADD is shocking. It is a topic seen in every classroom and heard in many dialogues. Conversations can be overheard frequently about how easy meds are to get and how effortless it is to receive a diagnosis. However, while I know that a vast number of students are taking prescription drugs for ADHD, I don’t think that I ever realized the full extent to which this disorder was effecting America’s youth. It wasn’t until I spent my time volunteering as a paraprofessional in a fourth grade classroom that I felt I truly understood the weight that the number of ADHD diagnosis’s were having on our nation’s children. The supervising teacher I was working with told me that in her classroom of 22 children, six of them were on some sort of prescription medication for ADHD, and many parents that I spoke to tended to blow off the risk factors involved, remarking that the drugs improved their school performance. I was shocked at this figure, especially because after working with the children, even on the days that they forgot to take their medicine, I found that by using different methods of instruction, many of the children didn’t seem to have much less trouble focusing than the children who did not have ADHD. So when we were assigned this paper, I set out to disprove the myth that children who act out in school have must ADHD and need to be put on prescription drugs in order to do well in school.
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)
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...
Typical ADHD drug overdoses lead to an estimated 3,000 Emergency Room visits each year (Vinerd. 2006). In 2010 alone, there were 17, 000 human exposures to ADHD medications. This number is just what was reported to the Poison Control Center. Eighty percent of these overdoses occurred in kids younger than 19 years old. The other twenty percent of the overdoses occurred in adults (Stiller, 2013).This leads to the number one question: Who is to blame for these overdoes? Do we blame the doctors prescribing the medications or do we blame society?
Over the last decade, a new epidemic has risen in America regarding the sustained trend in teens abusing and misusing stimulant drugs prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), specifically Ritalin and Adderall. There has been an increase in the number of teens diagnosed with ADHD and practitioners prescribing stimulants as treatment. These drugs are known in the teen community as the so-called “study drug”. An alarming high percentage of teens that are not diagnosed with ADHD are using this drug in attempt to achieve academic success as well as abusing it for recreational purposes. Due to the increase in teens being diagnosed with ADHD and being prescribed stimulants, the availability of ADHD stimulants has increased and are being abused and misused by other teens. In addition, caregiver’s lax attitudes as well as not supporting school safety prescription policies, has contributed to this disturbing trend in teens misusing and abusing the so-called “Study Drug”.
Ritalin has become the most prescribed drug for people with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). An abundance of media coverage brought Ritalin to the attention of parents, educat...
Political correctness and the constant fear of impending litigation from any number of sources has forced society to find other means through which they can control their children. Though other avenues for treatment exist, recent developments in educational and familial systems have produced a situation where children are over prescribed stimulant medications to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder for educational purposes. For that reason, we must consider the appropriate treatment for ADHD in education. Four main aspects to this issue need to be discussed in order to fully understand the situation: a description of ADHD, the symptoms of ADHD, the statistical information regarding the over prescription and a description/history of stimulant use, and some possible alternatives to drug therapy.
According to Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco’s chief medical officer, seventeen percent of total drug cost spending last year was for behavior medicines; compared with sixteen percent for both asthma and antibiotics, eleven percent for skin disorders and six percent for allergy medicines. There was also a 369% increase in spending on ADHD drugs for kids under the age of five. A lot of children have been diagnosed with ADHD, and many of their parents have opted to give them behavioral drugs. Some parents give the drugs because they are not aware of the long term effects or the psychological dependency, and lastly because they are not aware of the alternatives. As parents we have to be more cognizant of what these disorders are and how they affect the child. Drugs are not always the only solution.
People with the ADHD condition have problems with control of impulse behaviors, paying attention and some may be found out to be very active. According to recent statistics, it has been unfolded that a lot of people especially those who abuse substances are not given ADHD treatment. It should also be noted that those patients with ADHD are at a higher risk of using illegal substances and drugs and therefore need to be accorded the attention that they require. It is also apparent that people with drug addiction problems are often misdiagnosed and as per this, they are not given the treatment that they truly deserve. As noted by Millichap (2009), poor or improper treatment leads to impulsiveness which makes the people to turn to substances such as cocaine, marijuana and other hard drugs to console themselves. According to a number of these drug users, they confess that the usage of the drugs makes them feel high and better without knowing of the dangers that they are presenting themselves to.
...ictions that early intervention can reduce crime and actually divert children and teens from a path of criminal behavior (Nauert.) It is emphasized that when professionals, teachers, and other people involved with youth and young adults neglect to recognize and treat ADHD, there are likely to be detrimental consequences for both mental health and social outcomes. These results include the consumption and high costs of resources that must be used to respond to these behaviors. ADHD is perceived to be an easily treatable condition that is associated with readily accessible interventions which can be extremely successful in treating symptoms and behavior problems. Because of the failure to recognize and/or treat ADHD, however, the wide range of potentially negative effects of the behavioral problems it generates create significant obstacles for society and individuals.
With five percent of the children in the world affected by ADHD to some degree, there is much variance in the severity and occurrence of symptoms and behaviors (Zeigler Dendy, 2000, “Teachin...
The purpose of this research was to describe and understand Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the most effective treatment options that are available today. ADHD is a mental health disorder that affects 3-9% of the population in ways that, if left untreated, can wreak havoc on the mind of the sufferer. It makes concentration difficult, large tasks seem insurmountable, and causes impulsive and hyperactive tendencies. Fortunately, research and experiments have led to new and effective treatments to help those who suffer from this disorder (Dupaul 8). This research examined journal articles and internet sources on the topic to help unlock the complexities of the disorder through scientific research. It also was a way to separate the myths of the disorder from the truths, while discovering the causes, diagnosis methods, and best treatment alternatives to battle this prevalent disorder.