ADHD: A Pandemic Without a Disease
Do you know there is a medically diagnosed disorder that affects over two American children?” Experts on the subject say there are many more undiscovered cases out there and the cause is still unknown. It sounds like we have a really big problem. The thing is, the disorder that affects all these children, isn’t a disorder at all.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a set of behaviors that are considered a medical problem. In reality, it isn’t a disorder. It is a fad that somehow got started. There are different things that can be done to stop ADHD.
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 symptoms of ADHD can be, but are not limited to: being easily distracted, having difficulty focusing, losing things, daydreaming, trouble following instructions and completing tasks, fidgeting, inability to be quiet, and showing emotions without restraint.
No physical test for ADHD exists (Sheen). When being tested for ADHD, patients have to meet certain criteria. They have to show signs of six or more inattentive behaviors to be diagnosed. Also, these behaviors, which have to be shown for more than six months, have to negatively affect the patient’s life. The diagnosis is subjective and there are not real tests for it.
The treatment of ADHD includes medication and counseling. The main drugs that are prescribed for ADHD are stimulants. They include Methylphenidate and Dextroamphetamine-ampthe...
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... including parents, pharmaceutical companies, and culture and society as a whole.
Works Cited
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Facts, Values, and Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD). Jan 2009. National Center for Biotechnology.
Sheen, Barbara. Attention Defecit Disorder. San Deigo, CA: Lucent Books, 2001
Timimi, Sami and Eric Taylor, “ADHD is best understood as a cultural construct.” The British Journal of Psychiatry 2004: 8-9
ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder). (2004). In The concise Corsini encyclopedia of psychology and behavioral science. Retrieved from http://library.gcu.edu:2048/login?qurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.credoreference.com.library.gcu.edu%3A2048%2Fcontent%2Fentry%2Fwileypsych%2Fadhd_attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder%2F0
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 ...
Stolzer, PhD, J. M. (2007). The ADHD Epidemic in America. Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry, 9, 109-116.
National Institute of Mental Health (1999). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Retrieved April 2, 2003 from www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/adhd.cfm#adhd3
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is defined as a behavioral disorder of childhood onset (by the age of 7 years) characterized by symptoms of inattentiveness and impulsivity/hyperactivity. Based on the type of symptoms that predominate, ADHD is classified as following:
It is important to understand what ADHD is. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that was originally thought to be a form of "minimal brain dysfunction (MBD) (D’Alonzo 88)," however, it is no longer recognized as a form of MBD. "Along with these changes in classification, investigators identified behaviors related to ADHD: hyperactivity, restlessness, impulsivity, aggression, distractibility, and short attention span. These symptoms formed the three behavioral constructs inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity described by the American Psychiatric Association (D’Alonzo 88)." In both the professional and lay media ADHD is routinely referred to as a neurological disorder, while most experts agree that genetic-biochemical factors influence behavior somewhat, the general public tends to view this as biologically unco...
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.
ADHD is the abbreviated term for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. This disorder can have an impact on learning, attention span, and more. Many people have this disorder and the number of people diagnosed with it has increased by 53% in the last decade. The problem with ADHD is there is no cure, so people try to play cate to it by using unnecessary medication. Although some people do need medication for their ADHD, I advise you to think twice before relying on it because medication has many downsides.
ADHD children seem to always be in motion. They can find it hard to complete tasks they¡¦ve begun and planning ahead is difficult. These children occasionally appear to be oblivious to what takes place around them. Then there are other days when these children appear to behave just fine, apparently unaffected by the disorder. This can pose a problem for the affected youngsters as it leads others to think that the ADHD children can readily control these behaviors. ADHD is non-discriminating. Faced with constant turmoil and commotion in their lives, these affected children are from many diverse backgrounds (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 42). Ethnicity and cultural backgrounds of the affected children and their primary caregivers can greatly influence the understanding of this disorder and its associated behaviors as well as affect any treatment options that might be sought (Bussing 233). Why don¡¦t all children benefit from the wealth of information and treatment options available in today¡¦s society?
It is normal for children to have trouble focusing and behaving at one time or another. But for children with the disorder these symptoms are constantly occurring in their young lives. The symptoms continue and can cause difficulty in several settings. This behavioral disorder is characterized by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. These symptoms usually occur together but one can occur without the other. When present, the symptoms of hyperactivity are almost always visible at the age of seven years and may be also visible at a younger age. The lack of attention is not completely obvious until the child faces certain situations, such as school work. A child with ADHD might have hard time paying attention, be easily distracted, have difficulty listening to others, daydream a lot, inter...
Clinic, Mayo. Attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Children. 1998-2013. Document. 29 November 2013.
These symptoms prove to be particularly challenging to children and adolescents. Although they may be quite intelligent, their lack of focus frequently results in poor grades and difficulty in school. Children and adolescents with ADHD tend to act impulsively, without addressing the consequences of their actions until it is too late. Their attention spans are much shorter than most children?s are, thus they become bored easily and frustrated with ...
According to Maria Basile, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is classified as a disruptive behavior disorder characterized by ongoing difficulty with attention span, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. She points out that many children have challenged themselves to keep the disorder under control. She also shows that the children can be over-active or impulsive. Their development is not equal to an average child. Numerous of researches have been constructed in order to determine the percentage of children that posse ADHD. Basile shows statistics that reveal the percentage of the children who have ADHD, “The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that 3% to 5% of children have ADHD. Some experts, though, say ADHD may occur in 8% to 10% of school age children” (Basi...
There has been an ongoing debate about whether the mental disorder ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is over-diagnosed. ADHD is commonly diagnosed in people, more specifically children, who lack the ability to pay attention, are often disruptive, are hyperactive, and impulsive. A medical personnel or a psychologist diagnoses the children using a list of criteria. It is only in recent years that doctors have begun researching better and more effective ways to diagnosis patients using brain scans. It is because of this, that ADHD is over-diagnosed for several reasons: the different personalities that children can exhibit; parents not taking responsibility as parents; and the lack of proper ways to identify ADHD.