Childhood is a precious and unique time is every person’s life. During this time of life, displeasure and despondency are rare emotions, because life is straightforward. Days are spent exerting every ounce of energy running wild at the local park and passing out from exhaustion afterwards. Children’s biggest worries revolve around getting the neat toy they saw on television and whether or not they will be allowed a scoop of ice cream after supper. Being a child is extraordinary, because each day is a new learning experience and perfection is never expected. However, parents seem to need an explanation as to why their children are not perfect. Why can my child not sit still during church? Why is my child acting out in school? The simple, yet …show more content…
accurate answer is that they are being children. The concerned parents typically turn to a pediatrician for answers and majority of the time, the answer given is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, commonly known as ADHD. This disorder makes keeping focused and controlling impulse emotions difficult. The popular answer to this disorder is Adderall, a prescription drug. However, Adderall may not be the ideal solution for children with ADHD in the United States. From 2003 to 2011, researchers from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention found that the number of children being diagnosed with ADHD is rapidly escalating.
As of 2011, 11% of all children within the ages of four to seventeen years old were diagnosed with ADHD in the United States (“Data & Statistics”). From 1977 to 2006 the average diagnoses of ADHD has increased each year by 3% and in the more recent years from 2003 to 2011 the average diagnosed has increased by 5% (“Data & Statistics”). With the sudden, dramatic increase in the number of children with this disorder, the need for some type of solution increases as well. Pediatricians have most commonly been prescribing Adderall to treat the hyper activity and to help children concentrate. This drug may be very effective, but it is not as quintessential as it may …show more content…
seem. The immediate side effects of Adderall are quite alarming to those who are actually aware of them. The most common side effect to this drug is significant weight loss, because the drug suppresses any appetite when in effect. Some other immediate side effects are insomnia, social withdrawals, and behaving worse than before taking the drug (“Common ADHD Medications & Treatments for Children”). Since the average age for a child to be prescribed Adderall being only seven years old, the odds of that child being on the medication for a extended period of time are substantial and the long term effects are even harder to swallow. A few of the long term effects of Adderall consist of heart disease, abdominal pain, heart palpitations, and thoughts of suicide (What Are The Long-Term Effects of Heavy Adderall Use?”). With all of these possible complications in mind, the use of this drug does not sound like the idealistic solution to hyperactivity, especially when there are other methods to help children with overcome this disorder. Proven to work just as well as any prescription drug, behavior therapy is typically the first suggestion to help children with their behavioral issues. Surprisingly, only half of children between the ages four to five years old were treated with behavior therapy (“Data & Statistics”). Behavioral therapy was created to help not only the children with their behavior, but it also involves teaching parents how to correctly handle their children’s outbursts and how to try to prevent such thing in the future. Behavior therapy is a successful treatment option that is proven to significantly reduce bad behavior in children and has no underlining side effects (“Treatment.”). Another effective treatment for ADHD is as simple as making sure the child gets plenty of exercise throughout the day. Exercising and being outdoors is one of the best ways to reduce the symptoms of the disorder. Pastimes that require close scrutiny to body movements such as gymnastics, dance, and skateboarding particularly help children with ADHD (“ADHD or ADD Treatment for Children”). Another simple, yet effective way to aid ADHD is providing children with a healthy diet.
It is nearly impossible to expect any child to properly behave when their bodies are consumed with sugary sweets and unhealthy foods. The National Health and Nutrition Evaluation Survey found that the obesity rate for children in the United States has increased to 11% for the past decade (“Childhood Obesity Trends”). With the obesity rate and ADHD rate in children steadily increasing, this brings researchers wondering if the diet of American children is the analyzing cause of the number of children with ADHD. EIther way, there are many alternative ways to aid ADHD symptoms that do not involve taking Adderall or any prescription drugs. However, there are cases where Adderall has been a huge success in helping children with their hyper
activity. My cousin, Eric Holder, was having major issues in school and at home at a very young age. He was distracting his peers in the classroom because he could not sit still or refrain from talking. He was also making frequent trips to the principal's office for his unsatisfactory behavior and was not behaving at home either. His considered parents talked to several doctors and finally accepted the fact that their child had ADHD. Refusing to have their child take prescription drugs, they spent two years having Eric participate in behavior therapy, actively playing baseball and basketball, and eating a balanced diet. After two years of dedication with signs of progress, they decided to try Adderall for the first time. Since then, Eric has been a completely different child. He has done tremendously better in school and no longer has any behavioral outbursts. The prescription helped him in more ways ever thought possible and he experienced minimal side effects. Adderall may have helped Eric, but it still has it risks. Adderall has huge abuse potential, because it is considered to be very addictive. Children who are prescribed it must be closely monitored by their parents to make sure the drug is being taken properly and not overused ( “Common ADHD Medications & Treatments for Children”). The university did a survey to all of their enrolled students and 30% reported abusing Adderall as a “study enhancer” to help them get through difficult courses ( “Common ADHD Medications & Treatments for Children”). Adderall is also commonly used as a weight loss supplement since it suppresses appetite. This drug is not only potentially dangerous to children, but adults as well. Any prescription drug whether it's Adderall or not, is not a solution to ADHD. These medications are just a temporary fix to, in some cases, lack of discipline and good parenting, Behavior therapy, exercising, and eating a balanced diet are excellent cures to this disorder. They help permanently cure restore good behavior in children. As opposed to prescription drugs that will just a tool to quickly get a child to behave without actually fixing the problem. Adderall is not the ideal solution to children with ADHD, because there are natural, simple ways to permanently cure the disorder.
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...
One of the main treatments for ADHD is the use of medication. Primarily the main medication used is stimulants such as amphetamines. Amphetamines have been used in this treatment due to its effects of reducing the symptoms of ADHD such as behavior and irritability (Hodgkins, Shaw, McCarthy, Sallee, 2012). A major concern though with the use of amphetamines is...
Stimulant drugs are widely used to treat the symptoms of ADHD. These stimulants dramatically reduce the hyperactivity of sufferers and improve their ability to focus, learn and work. Such medication may also improve physical coordination, for instance handwriting and sports. Research completed by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) suggests that these medicines may also help children with an accompanying conduct disorder to control their impulsive, destructive behaviours. The three medications that have been proven by the NIMH to be most effective in both children and adults suffering from ADHD are: methylphenidate (Ritalin), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine or Dextrostat), and pemoline (Cylert). (NIMH 1999) Yet there is currently much research on the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, such as t...
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 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 ...
Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD, is the most common psychiatric condition effecting 9.5% of school-aged children in the United States (intuniv, 2013). If the disorder goes untreated, it will cause more long-term side effects and difficulties for the individual as an adult. Adults who have this condition face several adversities in every day life, such as impulsive behavior, low self-esteem and poor work performance. People are not aware of the complications that come with ADHD in adults. Not knowing the symptoms of the disease can cause people to not be sympathetic when they are interacting with someone with disorder.
The purpose of this research was to describe and understand Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the most effective treatment options that are available today. ADHD is a mental health disorder that affects 3-9% of the population in ways that, if left untreated, can wreak havoc on the mind of the sufferer. It makes concentration difficult, large tasks seem insurmountable, and causes impulsive and hyperactive tendencies. Fortunately, research and experiments have led to new and effective treatments to help those who suffer from this disorder (Dupaul 8). This research examined journal articles and internet sources on the topic to help unlock the complexities of the disorder through scientific research. It also was a way to separate the myths of the disorder from the truths, while discovering the causes, diagnosis methods, and best treatment alternatives to battle this prevalent disorder.
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.
Many children are diagnosed with a “neurobehavioral disorder” known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) it affects approximately five to ten percent of children around the world (Kolar, Kelleer, Golfinopoulos, Cumyn, Syer, Hechtman). What some people do not know is that it continues throughout a person’s adulthood. ADHD affects approximately six percent of the adult population (Kolar, Kelleer, Golfinopoulos, Cumyn, Syer, Hechtman). Treatment for this disorder is of course medication. The question is, is this an effective way to treat both children and adults? I believe that ADHD medication is an effective treatment for ADHD in children and pre-teens, but is less effective in adults.
My father, like many Asian immigrants, left India to pursue his educational goals in America in order to provide a better life for his family. He arrived in the U.S. with fourteen dollars in his coat pocket, a suitcase in his hands, and a will to succeed. For my father, in a place like America where opportunities were plentiful and where hard work actually paid off there was no excuse not to succeed. The practical translation of this belief meant that if his children worked hard in school there was nothing they too could not achieve. As such, in my father's household, not doing well in school was not an option.
Children today seem to be plagued with a chronic psychiatric condition called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD. Estimates suggest that this disorder is affecting 3% to 5% of the children in this country (Bussing 233). In the United States this means reference is being made to nearly 5 million ADHD children. ADHD isn¡¦t just some convenient or fancy term for what parents would call a child who misbehaves. This condition, recognized in previous years as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Minimal Brain Dysfunction, Minimal Brain Damage, Hyperkinesis and Hyperactivity, is a serious medical condition that is thought to cause inappr...
While all societies acknowledge that children are different from adults, how they are different, changes, both generationally and across cultures. “The essence of childhood studies is that childhood is a social and cultural phenomenon” (James, 1998). Evident that there are in fact multiple childhoods, a unifying theme of childhood studies is that childhood is a social construction and aims to explore the major implications on future outcomes and adulthood. Recognizing childhood as a social construction guides exploration through themes to a better understanding of multiple childhoods, particularly differences influencing individual perception and experience of childhood. Childhood is socially constructed according to parenting style by parents’ ability to create a secure parent-child relationship, embrace love in attitudes towards the child through acceptance in a prepared environment, fostering healthy development which results in evidence based, major impacts on the experience of childhood as well as for the child’s resiliency and ability to overcome any adversity in the environment to reach positive future outcomes and succeed.
Kehily, M. J. 2014. Understanding childhood: an introduction to some key themes and issues. [e-book] Available through: online https://www.mcgraw-hill.co.uk/openup/chapters/0335212689.pdf [Accessed: 20 Mar 2014].
It is normal for children’s minds to wander and daydream. Children can be impulsive, active, and creative. However, children with ADHD are so impulsive or active that they cannot sit still and are constantly fidgeting. (pg. 362) They always have to be doing something. This makes them a little more difficult to teach because they have a hard time focusing. There is not a biological marker for ADHD, but research has shown that this disorder is neurological. Meaning that there are problems in the brain due to genes, complications in pregnancy, or toxins such as lead. (pg. 363) I would be precautious in whether or not determining if your daughter has ADHD. Misdiagnosis can make the problem worse if there is a different disorder that has not been
This analysis of five different childhood models is like looking through the lens of a camera. Every child and family are unique. Adults raise their child according to their beliefs, values, society and culture that have influenced them to be correct and relevant during their own upbringing (Rogoff, 2003). Most importantly, an educator needs an understanding of the childhood constructions. Through awareness and knowledge, the educator can help the child learn and develop without any assumptions of the child (Sorin and Galloway, 2006).