ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment

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According to Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco’s chief medical officer, seventeen percent of total drug cost spending last year was for behavior medicines; compared with sixteen percent for both asthma and antibiotics, eleven percent for skin disorders and six percent for allergy medicines. There was also a 369% increase in spending on ADHD drugs for kids under the age of five. A lot of children have been diagnosed with ADHD, and many of their parents have opted to give them behavioral drugs. Some parents give the drugs because they are not aware of the long term effects or the psychological dependency, and lastly because they are not aware of the alternatives. As parents we have to be more cognizant of what these disorders are and how they affect the child. Drugs are not always the only solution. 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. Many people have begun to look into the alternatives for the drug consumptions. They have found that in some cases you can change your exercise routine or start implementing one in order to release some excess energy. You can also change your diet. Some people have found it very helpful to cut out all suga... ... middle of paper ... ...cle talks about the problems with doctors giving kids medicine for ADHD and ADD who doesn’t need it. They are not giving the correct diagnosis to the children just to get more money. It also explains why parents shouldn’t rely on just one doctor when it comes to their children’s diagnosis. 4. Berne, Samuel A. Without Ritalin: A Natural Approach to ADD. 2002. Google Book Search Web 21 April 2011. http://books.google.com/books?id=M7hPTQhe3FoC&printsec=frontcover&dq=without+ritalin&hl=en&ei=l32wTbLFKYiUtwf17LTfCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false • This book makes parents and guardians aware of the other treatment options available to them and their children for ADD and ADHD. It gives natural and holistic ways to treat it also it tells about different physicians you could make an appointment with for treatment without drugs.

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