Is ADHD Real or In Our Heads? When I was younger, ADHD wasn’t a thing. I mean there were a like one or two students in each grade who were diagnosed with ADHD, but many people thought that they just needed a good spanking. Before working at an Elementary School, I used to think the same thing. Granted that many parents nowadays are a little bit too soft on their children, but I have seen ADHD in students that I work with daily. If the student did not take their medication before coming to school, the whole school day is wasted. Why? Focusing and staying on task is too difficult for people who are diagnosed with ADHD. Still not convinced? As you continued you read, I have selected three articles authors by very intelligent professor who will …show more content…
ADHD can be diagnosed in childhood and continue into adulthood, but adults have been known to be diagnosed later in their lives. Teachers are advocates for students who may qualify for special needs for ADHD. Teachers, administrators, and parents can complete an ADHD checklist and when completed it will be submitted to the district for review. ADHD is not curable, but is treatable according to (Fischer, Herberholz, 2016). There is multiple medication that can be used to help manage ADHD symptoms. One example is prescribed to ADHD patients is Methylphenidate, which is given at a low does and will up the does if it is beneficial to the child or adult’s needs. After reading this article by (Fischer, Herberholz, 2016), it is my understanding that boys aged between five and fifteen years old (3.62%) and girls (0.85%) are reported to be on medication for ADHD; the numbers have increased over the …show more content…
A few examples of hyperactivity are talking excessively, fidgeting with hands/feet and squirming in seat, and leaving seat when remaining in seat is expected. On the outside perspective you can tell if someone has ADHD because they have emotional instability, low self-esteem and get frequently frustrated with oneself. According to (Asherson, 2012), not only des ADHD express itself with the above features, it also causes neurological conditions such as: sleep disorders, Tourette’s syndrome, epilepsy and general learning difficulties. ADHD can have a developmental impact on one’s education. As a preschooler through school age students with ADHD will experience behavioral disturbance, poor social interaction with peers, and academic impairment. (Asherson, 2012) continues by stating that adolescents through adulthood will experience drug use, antisocial behavior and relationship problems. After reading this article, I understand that ADHD is commonly misdiagnosed as a behavioral or other common mental health
First, there are two different types of ADHD. An individual can be diagnosed with hyperactivity or impulsivity. Those with hyperactivity cannot sit still, talk excessively, and always act as if they are “on the go (intuniv, 2013). If diagnosed with impulsivity symptoms are blurting out words, have a hard time waiting on others and interrupt others regularly. These symptoms make you think of an undisciplined child and are not ones that will make you think of a disease. This disorder can go undetected for quite some time and that can cause unnecessary stress to an individual’s everyday life.
ADHD is believed to be caused by abnormalities in the dopamine neurotransmitters in the brain (Berne 4). The symptoms of ADHD include inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity that are inappropriate for a person's age level. In other words, the patient’s brain is like a light constantly going off and on at the worst possible times. Although there is no cure for ADHD, treatment can help control symptoms. Stimulant therapy is the most commonly used type of treatment. These drugs improve ADHD symptoms in 70 percent of adults and 70-80 percent of children shortly after starting treatment (ADHD 3). Adderall RX, or its formal name of Methylphenidate, is the most common form of treatment for ADHD. In an article by Dr. Phillip W. Long, he states that, “The mode of action in man is not completely understood, but meth...
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is broadly described as a neurobehavioral disorder where a person has difficulty paying attention and complying with basic commands. On a biological level, ADHD is hereditary, where a parent passes the disorder to their offspring through genes, while on a cellular level, ADHD affects cell functions such as cellular respiration, more specifically, glucose metabolism (Zimmer, 2009). The public’s perception is clear; ADHD has an over diagnosing problem at a systemic level, where doctors in the United States over diagnose children with ADHD. However, a review of the evidence for and against the argument of ADHD over diagnosing suggest that the disorder does not suffer from an over diagnosing problem. Finally, while there are several methods used to treat ADHD, including medication and behavioral correction therapy, an
ADHD presents itself in three major categories: predominately hyperactive, predominately inattentive, or a combination of hyperactivity and inattention. Predominately hyperactive, presenting as excessive physical activity and impulsive behaviors. This can include constant fidgeting, an inability to stay in their seat, an inability to play quietly, interrupting, or difficulty waiting for their turn.... ... middle of paper ... ...
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.
Chandler, C. (2011). The Science of ADHD: A Guide for Parents and Professionals. New York:
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
Nine percent of children between the ages of five and seventeen are diagnosed with ADHD in the United States (CDC). About 3 million kids that are on ADHD medication are prescribed Ritalin or Adderall. Most people and psychologists see ADHD as a true disorder, then theres those who think the complete opposite. Are children being overmedicated and over-diagnosed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder? Some medications are not always the answer.
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.
The lack of a complete understanding of ADHD has led scientists to question how to go about treating ADHD. While at the moment the disorder cannot be cured, they are methods that scientists have come up with to address the symptoms displayed by ADHD. These approaches range all the way from psychotherapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy, to the prescription of pyschostimulant medications. (3) The most popular of these medications include amphetamines, such as Aderall, and methylphenidates such as Ritalin. (1) The use of such drugs ...
“Some say that this explosion of childhood ADHD is indicative of what’s wrong with our society and education system. They blame parents and an educator for choosing quick fixes for what they say is a behavioral problem, not a brain-based disorder.”
ADHD is an exceedingly real diagnosis for many children in the United States. Are we over diagnosing our little ones just to keep from dealing with unpleasant behavior? “ On average 1 of every 10 to 15 children in the United States has been diagnosed with the disorder, and 1 in every 20 to 25 uses a stimulant medication” (Mayes, Bagwell, & Erkulwater, 2008). Several believe that virtually all ADHD diagnoses are retractable with appropriate discipline of children instead of being so hasty in medicating them. The material found on the CDC website describes facts about ADHD, it clarifies the signs, symptoms, types, causes, diagnosis tools, and treatment forms of ADHD. What the article neglects to go into is the reality that there is a considerable amount of controversy surrounding ADHD. The CDCs usage of ethos, pathos, and logos and by what method the website manipulates them to affect the reader will be the basis of this paper.
ADHD is commonly talked about in a joking manner, but is a serious disorder. ADHD can be present it different levels of severity, but should be dealt with in the same way. Doctors do not take enough time to fully understand each case of their patients, which can lead to the wrong treatment option or even a misdiagnosis. Once ADHD is diagnosed in a legitimate case, there are many ways to manage and treat the disorder. ADHD has become over medicated and should use more psychotherapy because it is proven to be more effective. Doctors, psychologists, and scientists are still learning more about ADHD every day, and it is still not fully understood. It may be possible in the future for ADHD to be a curable disorder, but, until that day comes, it is important to be informed and understand the disorder as much as possible.
ADHD can be treated in a couple of different ways. ADHD is a disorder that can not be cured. Symptoms of ADHD are controlled with medications, various types of psychotherapy, education or training, or a combination of treatments. With one of these treatments or a mixture of treatments people with ADHD can learn to be successful in school or the work environment and have productive lives.