Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Disorder (AD/HD) is mostly an organic problem, which tends to run in families. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in childhood. An estimated 3 to 5 percent of the general population suffers from the disorder, which is characterized by agitated behavior and an inability to focus on tasks. ¡§ In the early 20th century, American doctors were discussing children who had problems similar to those described by George Fre*censored* Still, who was the first know researcher in Attention Deficit research. The one thing that many of these children had in common, other than their ADD type symptoms, was that they were survivors of the encephalitis epidemic in 1917-1918. Numerous papers described children with ¡§post encephalitic behavior disorder¡¨ as impaired in attention, regulation of activity, and impulse control. Like Still¡¦s patients, these children were also socially disruptive and many had memory problems.¡¨(About.com: 2) At this time, the disorder was not recognized as AD/HD, but was known as ¡§Brain Damaged¡¨ because of the encephalitis. As time passed, other researchers discovered that these children were not brain damaged but had a learning disability. It was not until 1980 this disorder was recognized as ADHD. 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... ... middle of paper ... ...ucation but minor in Special Ed. This will give me the opportunity to help children like the student at College Park Elementary School. Bibliography: 1. About.com. Teaching the AD/HD Student. 23 March. 2001 http://add.miningco.com/health/add/library/weekly/blfaqteach.htm. 2. The Council for Exceptional Children. Teaching Children with AD//HD.1989 http://www.btinternet.com/~black.ice/addnet/teaching.html. 3. Vitiello M.D., Benedetto. Study update: Long- Term Effects of Stimulant Medications in AD/HD Children.1996 http://www.chadd.org/attention/attnv7n1p9.htm 4. Barkley RA., Murphy. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder adults: comorbidities and adaptiveimpairments.1996 http://add.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%3A80%2Fentrez%2Fquery.fcgi%3Fcmd%3DRetrieve%26db%3DPubMed%26list_uids%3D8932963%26dopt%3DAbstract
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...
At least one in four families in the U.S. is affected by mental illnesses. Unfortunately there is no cure for this range of illnesses, which have been around for thousands of years. Of the American adult population, 5.4 percent have a serious mental illness. These health conditions are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, behavior, or some combination of these. They are also associated with distress and sometimes impaired functioning. In 1990 the total cost of mental health services in the U.S. was $148 billion. According to a new report by the Mental Health Foundation, one in five children suffer from a mental health problem. Attention deficit hyperactive disorder is a mental illness that is diagnosed mainly in young children and doesn’t always disappear in adulthood.” All we know is that this genetic, inherited condition [ADHD] is not due to brain damage at all but rather a variation in how the brain functions.” Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) includes symptoms and characteristics that can be placed in one of three categories: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These characteristics commonly leave a person with ADHD with lack of attention span, easily distracted, fidgety, struggling to stay seated, having trouble engaging in calm activities, impatient, and talking excessively or out of turn. A new study by researchers says that hyperactive children have behavioral differences due to under active parts of their brain, a biological malfunction, rather than due to way they were brought up. This was revealed by a magnetic scanning device that allowed researchers to look at the brains of children diagnosed with ADHD. These studies and statistics reinforce the claim that mental illnesses are not invented simply to justify drugging of children and a disease that needs be educated to the public for better understanding. Rather, ADHD is an illness that affects many people throughout their lives. This topic is often misunderstood by the public. The media and medical community need to educate the positive side of this controversy and not just show the opposing view, which often times misrepresented by the media.
The use of psychotropic medication in children and adolescents dates back to 1937 when Charles Bradley conducted a study by prescribing the stimulant amphetamine sulphate (Benzedrine) to modify the behavior of children with severe behavioral disturbance. (Adams, 1991) Since these studies were conducted, more and more children and adolescents have been prescribed stimulants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers for various mental disorders, such as: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The potential side effects that happen to children taking these medications can include: fainting, blurred vision, vomiting, extreme weight gain, and even death ("Seroquel information,” n.d.).
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.
Attention Deficit with hyper activity Disorder commonly known as ADHD is classified as a disruptive behavior disorder usually diagnosed in childhood. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavior disorder of childhood. It appears to be more common in boys than it is girls. This Disorder is more common in boys than in girls and approximately five in one hundred children are affected (Busing). There are three subtypes: Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, predominantly inattentive, combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive (most children have the combined type of ADHD)(nimh.nih.gov).The age of onset of ADHD is usually in preschool to early elementary school years.
Every day, doctors are diagnosing kids with ADHD. A diagnosis can come as early as four years old. Doctors evaluate the patient. They also read reports from teachers and or coaches, along with talking with the child’s parents. Typical symptoms of ADHD include: “being in constant motion, squirming and fidgeting, making careless mistakes, not wanting to listen, being easily distracted, losing things, and making careless mistakes” (WebMD, 2014). If a child is diagnosed with ADHD, they may be put on a typical ADHD drug. Medicines that are used to t...
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
Parents and teachers benefit from having a child diagnosed with ADHD because it makes the child less of a handful for them, the drugs that need to be taken to control the “problems” will make their lives easier. The child may be less of a discipline issue, but their health and life could be in danger. The effects of the #1 prescribed drug for this “disorder” is Ritalin. Ritalin was introduced in the 1960s for treatment of ADHD. The manufacturer, Ciba sponsored a great deal of research on ADHD medication, putting its brand name first in the public eye (Chemical & Engineering). This medication can be especially damaging, mentally and...
Kelland, Kate. "Children with ADHD say stimulant drugs help them: study." Huffington Post. 10 14 2012: n. page. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often persists into adulthood. Problems associated with ADHD include inattention and hyperactive, impulsive behavior. Children with ADHD may struggle with low self-esteem, troubled relationships, and poor performance in school (Children).
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...
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.