...The Advantages of Medicating Children with ADHD The Advantages of Medicating Children with ADHD The educational effect of medicating a child who has been correctly identified with attention-deficient hyperactive disorder (ADHD) far supersedes the adverse affects of the drugs being prescribed. In understanding that each child is different in their way and usually exerts an abundance of energy compared to adults is not a qualifying factor in being ADHD. Children who have not yet began school in a controlled and structured environment cannot be assessed by physicians with accuracy. Teachers play their most crucial role before any diagnosis is actually made by the family physician, psychiatrist, or pediatrician. According to Weber et al. (1992), children who are suspected of having ADHD are initially identified because of their behavioral and academic performance in the classroom. Studies conducted in schools repeatedly report the same sequence of events for many children referred for suspected ADHD. Teachers become aware of the students' difficulty in meeting the behavioral, attention, and academic norms for the class and suggest the possibility of ADHD to parents. Students who are constantly being placed in time-out, reprimanded, and conference cannot learn when all of the teacher’s attention is placed on behavior instead of academics. As a result of proper medical evaluation and teacher questionnaires, a student who is diagnosed with ADHD could build a successful foundation...
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...Controversy of Medicating Kids Colette Sims AED/222 April 22, 2012 Monica Santiago The Controversy of Medicating Kids There are some benefits of taking medications such as Ritalin, Adderall and Effexor for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) and for children with Emotional Behavior Disorders (EBD), as well as some concerns. Some of the benefits include the improvement of a child’s attention span for longer lengths of time, trouble with depression and for the purpose of focusing on their lessons in class which results in the child improvement in their grades. Some of the concerns include giving children medication not really knowing if they need it. After watching the video, “Medicating Kids,” I could form an opinion about how the different medications can affect the children. In some it had an affect and it seemed to have a positive affect on most of the children in the video, According to Dr. Xavier Castellanos of the National Institute of mental health who states, “There is no known reason of what causes ADHD and there is no known reason as to why stimulants are effective.” After viewing the video, I have to wonder if the effects of the drugs were psychological in the children. With the exception of Nicholas, all the other children were aware that they were taking these drugs and shoed an improvement. I have to side with the psychologists who say children do not need to take medication for what is normal behavior in children. The...
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...Christine Tucci March 25, 2012 The Controversy of Medication When it comes to ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) and EBD (Emotional and Behavior Disorder) have many controversies. (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey, 2007). These controversies are about to reasons: do they exist and should medication be used to treat them? Another question is, are there alternative treatments for ADHD and EBD? In this paper I will also give my opinion on the subject. The controversy of medicating children with ADHD and EBD has recently increased. It has increased due to the fact that more and more children are being diagnosed with these disorders. ADHD and EBD can be hard to diagnose, it takes a lot of documentation. (Rosenberg, Westling, & McLeskey,2007). Some of this documentation will include what characteristics are present in the child. These characteristics for ADHD include: difficulty focusing, cannot sit for extended period of time, very unorganized and difficult following directions. The characteristics for EBD include: a do not care attitude, can be socially disruptive, keeps to oneself at times and physically and verbally abusive. ADHD and EBD can be treated with medication and alternative treatments. ADHD is mostly treated with medication. Some of these medications are Ritalin, Adderoll and Concerta. These are all called stimulants. The controversy to this is how it effects the children long term. Not much research has been done on this topic. Also there are concerns...
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...CHRISTINE VAYDA | SNHU | English Composition 2 | In the United States an average of 11% of the children between ages 4 and 17 are diagnosed with the medical disorder called ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). ADHD is a common behavioral disorder that affects school aged children. This percentage has increased from 7.8% in 2003. With this disorder increasing 3% per year, some begin to wonder if it is the children that are needing to be “fixed” or is it the way we teach our children. Are there alternatives to helping children with their focus other the medication? Medicating children due to ADHD is not always the answer and often alters the child’s personality. There are alternate teaching methods available for students before having them medicated. Teachers can perform these teaching methods to help children focus better in school and not get bored. Parents can help by also delivering these methods at home. Kids with ADHD may have trouble with focus, acting without thinking, hyperactivity and troubles knowing what is expected of them because they have a difficult time sitting and paying attention, so focusing on something is very difficult. The symptoms that they experience typically happen over a long period of time and do not just come in go like with children that just may be excited or anxious about something. There are no test that can diagnose ADHD. In order to evaluate the child a Dr. will meet with the child in the office as well as getting evaluations...
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...The Controversy of Medication The controversy of medicating a child who has EBD or ADHD is big, people may not even realize how big it is because it’s hiding in the bushes so to speak, people try to keep it quiet so people don’t form a panic when they find out how their children will be affected if they give them the medication to slow their disability down. Now I say disability light heartedly, because people like to treat children with these conditions like they are breakable, and they shouldn’t, children with these problems should be treated like any normal person in society, just with special care. The most common known drug out there to thin out the possibility or idea of these conditions is Ritalin, there are some successes out there, but there a lot of people who take their children off of it because of the side effects and how different their children start to seem after being on the medication for a prolonged period of time. According to The American Psychological Association, a Dr. Peter Jensen conducted a period of trials on children to see if the medication actually worked and how well it worked, it came back a year later that only 60% of children treated had a success, and the rest failed, but it is said that this medication is not for everyone and it can have some severe side effects. (para. 11). The Helium (2007) website says that the pros and cons of medicating children with these behaviors can include more sleep for those medicated, and less sleep for those...
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...Medicate My ADHD Child? Parents always want to do what is best for their child, so if I had a child that was diagnosed with ADHD, I would want to make sure that I make the right choice when it comes to medication. Medicating an ADHD child can control impulses and hyperactivity, and improve the ability to concentrate and follow through with tasks. For some children this is the best choice because the medication will help them to do better in school, both academically and socially. For others, medication may not be the best choice because it can have alot of negative side effects such as headaches, depression, dizziness, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping. Medication can also have some severe side effects such as cheast pain, shortness of breathe and even sudden death in children with heart problems. Any one of these is enough for a parent to make the desicion not to medicate their child. That is why it is important that I get all the facts about the medication and make sure that this is really the best choice for my ADHD child. There are many reasons why I wouldn't medicate my child. Many children with health problems such as high blood pressure, Hyperthyroidism, Glaucoma and any kind of heart problem cannot take ADHD medication. If my child were to have any of these conditions then I definately would not medicate my child. If my child didn't have any of those problems, then I would have to look at all the side effects of ADHD medications...
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...Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder John Mooney 412 Psychology Dr. Jim Spencer West Virginia State University 4 May 2012 Abstract Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is a developmental disorder that is believed to affect about 3 to 5 percent of children globally and diagnosed in about 2 to 16 percent of school aged children (National Institute of Mental Health). Also, 30 to 50 percent of those diagnosed will continue having symptoms into adulthood and it is estimated that 4.7 percent of American adults live with AD/HD (NIMH). Although most healthcare providers accept AD/HD as a genuine disorder, there still remains controversy regarding diagnosis and treatment which is being debated in the scientific community. Although it found controversy in the lack of sufficient data on long-term use of medications, the US National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) supports the validity of the AD/HD diagnosis and the efficacy of stimulant treatment. Introduction Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is becoming the highlight of many controversial debates. Each year more children as well as adults are being diagnosed with these medical conditions. Despite the fact that many doctors question the authenticity behind its diagnoses, AD/HD can have a negative effect not only on the patients themselves, but to the families and loved ones who have to endure the behavior produced by the patients. According to the Diagnostic and statistical manual...
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...English-123 9 January 2016 ADHD Medications: Evidence of Overprescribing ADHD is a familiar and often used term in today’s society. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Ritalin is the medication most-often mentioned when looking at the treatment of ADHD patients. “First synthesized in 1944, Ritalin is a stimulant drug and was first approved for use in adults during the mid-1950s” (Mayes, et al). According to Dr. Matthew Smith, Ritalin wasn’t even considered for use in children with behavioral issues until many years after its introduction. It was originally marketed as a “pep” pill. Advertisements were aimed towards the elderly, and housewives whom lacked the energy to get all their work done around the house. The pharmaceutical company Ciba, whom created Ritalin, did not receive approval to market the drug to underachieving school children until 1962 (Smith). ADHD later became the diagnosis for both children and adults who were observed as having concentration and behavioral issues. Whether or not too many people are being diagnosed and medicated for ADHD has certainly been a hot topic of debate for many years now. Research does show that medical professionals are overprescribing ADHD medications. Trends have indicated a rise in diagnosis along with drug treatment, the ADHD drug industry is booming, and ADHD prescriptions are easily obtained by those seeking them. Today, ADHD drugs are prescribed to both children and adults who have been diagnosed with the disorder...
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...http://web2.infotrac.galegroup.com Adults and Children with ADHD, Cincinnati: Tyrell and Jerem; Press, 1993 Barkley, Russel A. Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents. New York: The Gilford Press, 2009. Eli Lilly and Company Strattera. Strattera 10 April, 2005 Wilens, Timothy E. Straight Talk about Psychiatric Medications for Kids New York: The Guilford Press, 1999 Most people have heard of the term Attention Deficit Hyperactive (ADHD) disorder. “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder that interferes with an individual ability to attend to tasks (inattention), inhibits ones behavior (impulsivity), and may interfere with a persons ability to regulate ones activity level (hyper-activity) in developmentally appropriate ways (Barkley 19). The most important job for teachers and parents is to separate fact from fiction, to clarify what we know and dont know. Properly diagnosing ADHD, medication choices, and behavioral interventions are the key focal point. Is medication truly worth the side effects? Diagnosing ADHD As the name implies, ADHD is typically characterized by two distinct sets of symptoms: inattention and hyperactivity / impulsivity. Although these problems usually occur together, one may be present without the other and still qualify for an ADHD diagnosis. Children are diagnosed with ADHD when they have met specific guidelines within these...
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...ADHD is a disorder to me that is overly diagnosed, so I can understand a parents concern especially with medicating their child at a young age. I would suggest that all parents no matter what disorder their child is being diagnosed with that they become educated and find answers to any questions they may have. Also, to get second opinions to make sure their child is diagnosed correctly. Some parents fear that their child may develop substance abuse problems when taking medication, but just like any other disorder or disease if left untreated it can become worse or cause other difficulties. Recent research has stated that children who have ADHD that goes untreated may actually be at higher risk of substance abuse. In my opinion this is because they will develop more problems they will not be able to control and thus they will turn to something to soothe their pain such as drugs and alcohol. Below are some long term consequences of untreated ADHD in children: • Lower educational attainment • Difficulty obtaining and maintaining employment • Increased interpersonal problems • Reduced earnings • Increased emergency room admissions • Greater healthcare utilization • More likely to be divorced • More likely to suffer from depression • More likely to suffer from anxiety • More likely to have traffic accidents • Twice as likely to smoke cigarettes • Six times more likely to suffer depression • Twice as likely to abuse alcohol. • Four times more likely to have sexually...
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...How is ADHD Diagnosed? Background When ADHD was first discovered, the language used to describe the symptoms of one with ADHD was somewhat judgmental. George Still was one of these people to describe ADHD in a potentially offensive way. According to (Chandler, 2010): “George Still described 43 children who had a ‘moral defect in control.’ He continued with a rich description of over-activity, aggression, little inhibitory volition (impulsivity), and passion, but also resistance to punishment—a familiar set of behaviors to those who look after a youngster with ADHD” (p. 34). Still’s identification of ADHD descriptions was only the beginning of understanding ADHD in the medical community. Further research discovered that the brain was the...
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...Reaction Paper to the Medicated Child There are many pros and cons to both medicating and not medicating a child; which is why it is such a controversial subject. In my own opinion, I think that medicating a child should be a last resort and only used in extreme circumstances, because I feel that there are more disadvantages than benefits in giving children medication. First, the anti -depressants and anti-psychotics that are prescribed to children mostly have only been tested on adults and are made for adults only. Even over-the-counter medicines, such as Tylenol, are broken down into child and adult categories; so I feel that more powerful drugs that change the chemicals in the brain should at least have these categories as well. Second, a child's brain is constantly developing and giving children medication that affects the brain and its chemicals can be highly detrimental to the development of the child's brain, especially in the prepubescent years. Third, the fact that many children have been misdiagnosed as having ADHD when in reality they have bipolar disorder shows how ridiculous giving children medications in the past and now actually is. A doctor is not only prescribing powerful medications that affect the brain but may be giving the child medication that doesn't even help with the problem. Most of the children showed in the videos, I feel, should have had alternative therapy before they were prescribed medication. They could have taken classes, talk therapy with...
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...When it comes to medicating children for EBD and ADHD I honestly have mixed emotions. I believe that we are quick to believe that if we give these children medication that it will automatically dismiss these types of behaviors. I honestly think that this is where we are wrong. In my opinion I do not believe that all children need to be on medication due to being diagnosed to EBD and ADHD. For most children I think that it will be something that will fade out the older that they get. I do not think that just because a doctor says a child is ADHD or has EBD that they need to be medicated. I have been able to see children that were taking ADHD medicines and how their persona changed. They become quiet, depressed, or just seem to be zoned out for the most part. This is not what a young child needs to experience. With these types of children I believe their treatments should start at home. Most kids develop these types of problems due to parents not being home, or not receiving enough attention at home. Possible alternative plans could be talking more with the child and getting their feelings on the situation. Possibly talking to a family counselor could also help. Teachers could also play a big part in their student’s life by taking some one on one time with the students that have ADHD and EBD. I think that where schools are messing up on not doing their part with these types of students is that they are not taking the time that they need to with them. Many children are dealing with...
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...Laura Jewell ENG-105 07-13-2014 Rebecca Foy The rhetorical analysis of the CDC’s website on ADHD. The CDC is a government funded organization, but they do not share enough information with the public, so we can be proactive in dealing with, or minimizing the negative effects of ADHD. The CDC is not sharing information that would help the public to understand, to minimize the questions being asked, and to what depths or severity ADHD is, or could be. Some of the public may not fully understand the context of the issues pertaining to ADHD, what the CDC’s actual credibility is, and to whom they are trying to impart their knowledge. When a young child is sick, we take them to the doctor. What if we do not know they are sick, what then? That’s where the CDC gets involved with ADHD, but what do we really know about the disease, other than its generally found in children, and that it is an issue in their neurodevelopment. Children today are being diagnosed with ADHD. According to the CDC it is not ok, but the way to fix it seems to be, to medicate the child or teen, so the symptoms become less apparent. Does that really help? One of the issues with medicating could be, the child does not develop emotionally, and or socially, in an appropriate way. Is this safe for the kids, or is the CDC trying to keep ADHD under control, like they successfully have done with malaria, and leprosy (not actually creating a cure like with polio, or the possibility of a surgical fix)...
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...Hyperactivity Disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the diagnosis for an array of continued shortfalls from attention to impulsivity and/or hyperactivity ("What Is ADHD?", "ADHD: An Overview Smart Kids"). ADHD is a mental, developmental, and behavioral disorder that most often occurs in children, however can also occur in adults ("What Is ADHD?"," Glossary of ADHD Terms"). ADHD is a persistent disorder that is attributed to neurobehavioral problems ("Key Findings: Parent-Report of Diagnosis|Features|ADHD|NCBDDD|CDC"). “About 11% of all children and adolescents in America are affected by ADHD” ("ADHD: An Overview Smart Kids"). Not all children with ADHD display the same behaviors. There are three subtypes of ADHD; inattentive type, hyperactive, and impulsive type. “Inattentive does not include hyperactivity. A child may appear “spacey” or “not all there” and often fails to pick up on some part of the information provided whether presented verbally or in writing. Hyperactive includes many of the stereotypical behaviors associated with ADHD such as a constant fidgeting, shifting or moving, difficulty staying seated in class, and the inability to stay focused on one task. Impulsive is characterized by a tendency to act before thinking about the consequences” ("ADHD: An Overview Smart Kids"). There are numerous warning signs which may indicate the possibility that a child has ADHD ("ADHD: An Overview Smart Kids"). Below is a table of difficulties such as paying...
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