I. DEFINITION OF ADD AND HISTORY OF RITALIN When Jason was five, his mother, Cathy, had to take him out of preschool because of his temper tantrums. She tried behavior management and parenting courses, to no avail. Eventually, Jason was diagnosed with ADHD and given the stimulant Ritalin, which controlled his outbursts. "It was like Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde," Cathy said. Jason flourished for the next six years, even winning his fifth-grade citizenship award. In sixth grade, however, his medication stopped working, and he became aggressive again. But Jason's teachers did not believe he had a disability and refused to allow any special "accommodations," like extra time to take tests. At Christmas, Jason was so depressed that he threatened to kill himself. After three weeks' treatment at a psychiatric hospital, he was put on Adderall, another stimulant, which helped him recover. Now he is back at school, this time with a full time teacher's aide and other accommodations for his disability. "He just had a midterm evaluation," Cathy said, "and his teachers all said that he was a delight to have in class." 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... ... middle of paper ... ...ly bringing up a generation of people who have little sense of personal responsibility. Instead of learning how to improve themselves and the world they live in, children are being taught that they are somehow defective and should rely on drugs to make them "right." God has given the knowledge to researchers and developers of pharmaceuticals to design drugs in order for people to benefit from the use. If doctors abuse the privilege to diagnose afflictions and distribute medicines, then society will become corrupt with drugs and illegal selling of drugs. Physicians must respect the privilege and give drugs to those who are medically in need of it and not just as a pacifier. Ritalin can be a help if the proper research and study is done to determine what the drug actually effects in the body and who requires the drug for healthier living and better focus on life.
Why did the ADHD boy not introduce his girlfriend to any of his friends? He could not remember her name; or better yet, why would a chicken be considered ADD? It never gets all the way across the road because of all the distractions. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental and behavioral disorder that affects 3 to 5 percent of all school-age children. The American Psychiatric Association explains that, “Individuals with ADHD may know what to do but do not consistently do what they know because of their inability to efficiently stop and think prior to responding, regardless of the setting or task” (Berne 2).
Mitchell does this by giving us the first time his problem began, in which his problem is stammering. Hangman is the name Jason gives his stammer, that is because he developed his problem over the game, hangman. Jason, being embarrassed by his stammer, sets out to become a poet as poetry is the only time and place for him to be able to speak his mind without the torture of his stammer. Madame Crommelynck teaches Jason about what beauty really is. How being truthful is beautiful, “True poetry is truth”(Mitchell, 155) and that “Hangman” is his best poem since it is the truth of his speech impediment. She says beauty cannot be created, just that beauty is; beauty is in everything. “the master knows his words is just the vehicle in who beauty sits in”(Mitchell, 147) proving her belief in how beauty is unavailable to description. Jason did not only deal with the concept of beauty but also himself in society, individual identity. Jason feels it is gay to be writing poetry which is his reasoning for using a pseudonym. He is conflicted with having to hide under such because he feels the need to “fit in” with his fellow peers. The expectations of his family also come into play because if “your dad works at Greenland Supermarkets and if you go to a comprehensive school” (Mitchell, 154) then much different would have been expected out of
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.
The results of this are what trigger the creation of unhealthy habits like lying and cheating and going against everything you’re told is bad and not to do when you’re a child but is reversed when you turn into a teenager who wants to be rebellious.
...disease so the active children can take a pill. Ritalin is given to children so the parents can handle their over-committed lives. Ritalin is given to children so teachers can better manage their overcrowded classrooms. Ritalin is given to children by doctors to pacify screaming parents who are convinced there is something wrong with their energetic kids. Ritalin is for the adults medicating themselves through their children. Ritalin is given to the wrong patient.
Psychotropic medications, also referred to as psychiatric or psychotherapeutic medications, are used to treat psychiatric disorders, such as: depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They have been used for many years and oftentimes come with dangerous side effects. The side effects that often occur in children taking these medications can include: fainting, blurred vision, vomiting, extreme weight gain, and even death ("Seroquel information,” n.d.). The use of psychotropic medication to treat mental disorders in children and adolescents is highly controversial because of ethical viewpoints (i.e. parents “drugging” their children to calm them down) and potentially harmful side effects, but one has to take into consideration whether the risks outweigh the benefits when deciding whether or not to give this type of medication to children.
Drugs used to help mental illnesses; however, they aren’t always the easiest to deal with. With new drugs being discovered each year, they each will have many side-effects that may not be known to the world. Just remember that there are other options when dealing with children with mental illnesses, than medication such as Xanax, Zyprexa, Lexapro, Adderall, and Dexedrine. It may not be best to use the “easy-way-out” when handling a young child with a mental illness. With prescribing medications to children, they may ruin the child’s life, by causing life-changing effects to happen to child’s body. There is no sense of using medications unless it is absolutely necessary, like when the child is sick with the flu or has a sinus infection. Choose another pathway for your child to cope with their mental illness.
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)
When parents and doctors put children on dangerous medications like Adderall, Dexedrine, and Ritalin, they seem to overlook the dangers and consequences that come with taking antidepressants and stimulants. Children can often end up suffering from a more severe sickness than when they started when they began the treatments (source #8). The ...
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...
The article that I chose to read was titled, Concerta vs. Ritalin: Dosage Differences & More by Kristeen Cherney. In addition, Alan Carter medically reviewed this article. The drug that was being talked about in my article was Concerta. Concerta is a brand name version of methylphenidate and is a stimulant. Concerta is an agonist drug, which means it enhances the action of certain neurotransmitters.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a psychiatric disorder that causes children to have problems with paying attention, trouble with following instructions, have impulsive behaviors and become easily distracted. Medications, such as Adderall and Ritalin, are used to treat the symptoms of this disorder by helping the patient to focus and pay attention while also curbing their impulsive behavior and hyperactivity. Side effects of these medications are, but not limited to, anxiety, addiction and in some cases psychosis. Proponents of giving ADHD medication to children argue that ADHD is a real disorder in children and the medication does improve the symptoms of the disorder by a large margin as well as being cost effective. Also, not only are the parents happy with the outcome of their children taking the prescribed medication but so are the children themselves. Proponents also argue that by not letting parents of the children, young adults and adults choose to take these prescriptions when diagnosed with ADHD that the medical and psychiatric communities would be in violation of the principle of autonomy. Justice as well would be violated since most of the burden of dealing with all the symptoms caused by this disorder would fall onto those with ADHD and partly on their families. Opponents of giving ADHD medication to children point out that it is not only going to children with ADHD but also being prescribed to those not diagnosed with the disorder as well as the pills being given or sold to other children and young adults. They also claim that the full side effects of ADHD medication are still not known and could have harmful long- lasting side effects on the children taking the medications. In this case, the princip...
Jason pictures himself in a world where he won’t be distracted, which will give him the opportunity to focus and achieve his goals. He started thinking about it, planning what he’ll do and how he’s going to make the best out his second chance. “He won’t be like his dad, he thinks, he won’t waste his chances. He’ll grab what comes and run with it” (Allison 34). It will be all about him and the basement, who he will become, who he was meant to become. “In the basement, they won’t feed him much, so he will get all dramatic skinny. He could learn to eat imaginary meal meals and taste every bite-- donuts and hot barbecue wings and stay all skinny and pure. He’s going to come out that basement Brad-Pitt handsome and ready for anything” (Allison 34-35). In his mind, these are all the opportunity that he’ll get to become who he wants to be.
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...
Ever since the turn of the twenty-first century, the medical community has begun diagnosing metal diseases in children at an astounding rate. Recent studies have concluded that medical doctors have been increasingly diagnosing children with mental diseases of all kinds. This, in turn, has also led to physicians prescribing medication for all the mental problems they are finding that the children possess. One of the most diagnosed is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This metal problem causes the child to have difficulties paying attention anywhere. Drugs used to treat problems like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and disorders like it are Adderall and Ritalin. The majority of people consider taking these drugs as a young adult