Increase in the Number of ADHD Diagnoses

Johnny will not pay attention in class. He is constantly interrupting the teacher when she is talking. He continues to get up out of his chair without permission. Ms. Brown is at her wits’ end. She is scheduling a conference with Johnny’s parents, as she suspects he has Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, more commonly known as ADHD.
ADHD is diagnosed as a condition that affects children and adults who exhibit
“inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsive/compulsive behavior (CNN). However, the diagnosis entails more than this simple explanation. ADHD is a condition that must be evaluated over time in order to offer a correct diagnosis, because the various symptoms must be present in various situations (Park). Unfortunately, time is of the essence and there is a sense of rush in order to rectify the increasing bad behavior. For instance, the above scenario is so common, that any child who fails to pay attention or seems overly active might be deemed as suffering from
ADHD. When, in essence, the child could very well be exhibiting typical childhood behavior that could be channeled through more engaging activities.
Interestingly, the symptoms of ADHD are just as varied as the causes of ADHD. Even so, some parents may end up feeling that their parenting skills are not on par with other parents of well-behaved children. Many times this is not the case, at all. In fact, the occurrence of ADHD, quite possibly, has more to do with genetics, than other outside factors (CNN). With that being said, “altered brain function and anatomy; heredity; maternal smoking, drug use, and exposure to toxins; childhood exposure to environmental toxins and; food additives” are all possible causes of ADHD (CNN).
Coincidentally,...

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...e) and discipline them properly, the incidence of this increase in diagnoses may decrease. But, unfortunately, our generation seeks instant gratification, requiring immediate correction when time is of the essence; not wanting to wait it out and see if the children are able to develop in to well-behaved individuals.
Again, the children suffer the most. ADHD has dramatically risen in diagnoses, whether it is a true diagnosis remains to be seen.

Works Cited

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. (2011, February 10). Retrieved March 15, 2014, from http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/mentalhealth/adhd/
Park, A. (2013, April 2). Understanding the Rise in ADHD Diagnoses: 11% of U.S. Children Are Affected. Retrieved March 15, 2014, from http://healthland.time.com/2013/04/02/understanding-the-rise-in-adhd-diagnoses-11-of-u- s-children-are-affected/