Essay about Adhd in Children

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a chronic condition that affects millions of children and often continues into adulthood. ADHD includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first licensed methylphenidate hydrochloride in 1955 for treating what was formerly known as hyperactivity, attention-deficit disorder or ADD. The drug was commonly prescribed in the 1990s when the diagnosis of ADHD became better known and accepted. In 2000, Janssen Pharmaceuticals received approval from the FDA to market Concerta, an extended-release form of Ritalin. Approximately two-thirds of 6.4 million children presently diagnosed have been prescribed drugs like Ritalin or Adderall (another common CNS stimulant).

An online article posted on the Scientific American Mind’s website. The focus of this article is about the function and effects of stimulant medications such as Ritalin and Adderall on the human body. Because children with ADHD are hyperactive and impulsive, stimulant medication is prescribed because it stimulates parts of the brain that are responsible for attention and self-control (Higgins, 2009). According to the article, studies conducted on animals have shown that the active ingredient in these medicines, which is methylphenidate, puts the user at a higher risk for depression and anxiety in adulthood due to the function of the drugs on the brain. Due to this, the article supports the notion that doctors should be cautious when prescribing

Ritalin also known as its generic name methylphenidate is a schedule II substance that is approved by the FDA to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Ritalin has been around since the 40s; and this drug was not always used to treat ADHD but for other disorders such as low mood. Kids who appear to have ADHD has been a huge concern for parents, friends, and teachers. Once the child shows signs of jitteriness they are brought to the doctor, and the doctor is real quick to determine that the child has ADHD and starts prescribing them stimulants such Ritalin.

The brand name for Ritalin is methylphenidate, a drug that stimulates the central nervous system. Its primary use is to stimulate the brain and improve concentration, therefore helping the child control impulsive behaviour and overactivity (Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne 2010).

Over the past couple of decades there has been a huge increase in the diagnosis and prescriptions given out for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. According to a news report done by USA Today over the past five years use of ADHD medications have risen 40% totaling 39.5 million individual prescriptions ("New findings," 2009). When statistics like this are seen it is only normal for someone to ask questions. People are becoming curious about the legitimacy of the disorder, and whether or not the treatments being given to individuals are appropriate. The argument seems to be strong on both sides of the fence, but the extensive research done on ADHD leaves it hard for one to believe that it is a made up disorder.

According to Prasad et al. (2012), ADHD has a significant impact on children’s behavior in the classroom, experience of school life, and daily functioning. The symptoms of ADHD cause disruptions at school and in academic achievement, which are a few of the most intense and general difficulties children with ADHD face. The understanding of the effects of pharmacological treatment for children with ADHD on academic achievement and learning is not fully understood. This randomized study compared the effects of drug treatment for children diagnosed with ADHD and the effects of not using drug treatment for children diagnosed with ADHD within the classroom environment. Within the total of 2,110 participants, drug treatment benefited up to 15% of children in the amount of school work that they completed. However, drugs less consistently improved children’s accuracy in specific types of academic assignments, such as arithmetic. Up to 14%, more children spent time “on task” and improved their behavior in the classroom. In conclusion to this study, findings determined that pharmacological treatment for children with ADHD has the potential to improve their

What is attention deficit hyper disorder? ADHD is a “chronic condition that affects pre-school or very young school children (Zivkovic 3822). ADHD symptoms are difficulty sustaining attention, impulsive behavior and hyper activity (3822). There was a research conducted by Cordest hat ADHD prevails in 3 to 5% of preschoolers and is more common in boys than in girls (3822). Children as young as three and four years of age are being diagnosed with ADHD and are being given medications. Parents with children between the ages of two and six should not medicate their children that are diagnosed with ADHD.

Whoever consumes stimulants triggers hostility, aggressiveness, anxiety, paranoia, and depression. Depending on the person, their mood may transition from time to time. Stimulants for ADD/ADHD should not be taken by people with heart conditions, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, anxiety, glaucoma, or a past of drug abuse. Stimulant abuse is the main reason why stimulants should not be consumed by just any person of choice without a review of their medical history. Medications seem to be non-effective in the beginning. According to Strattera, “side effects of Strattera include: upset stomach, decreased appetite, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, and mood swings.” The main concern is the connection between Strattera and the brain. It has been shown in scientific study that Strattera causes the person to have suicidal thoughts. Non-stimulants are next in line if Stimulants have not proven to be efficient or has severe side effects. The Methylphenidate Stimulants class contains the following drugs: Focalin, Methylin, Ritalin, Metadate ER, Methylin ER, Ritalin SR, Metadate CD, Ritalin LA, Concerta, Quillivant XR, Focalin XR, and Daytrana patch. The short-acting drugs of this class are Focalin, Methylin, and Ritalin. Because these medications are short-acting, frequent dosage is essential to manipulate the symptoms of ADHD. Focalin only lasts in a person’s system for 4-6 hours. Methylin and Ritalin only last for 3-4 hours. They all have the common side effects of appetite loss, weight loss, difficulty sleeping, and irritability. There is a high concern that if children and adolescents consume Ritalin, their brain may abnormally develop. The intermediate-acting medications of this class include Metadate ER, Methylin ER, Ritalin SR, Metadate CD, and Ritalin LA. Metadate ER and Methylin ER last for 6-8 hours, while Ritalin SR lasts for 4-8 hours. Metadate CD and Ritalin LA last a

The Food and Drug Administration approved Ritalin in 1961 for the use of treatment of childhood behavioral issues. The most common side effects have been insomnia, decreased appetite, stomachache, headache and jitteriness. However, there have been concerns of long term health effects such as liver cancer, heart attacks, violence and substance abuse (Lombardo,

Indeed, many infeasible suggestions have been made in an attempt to solve the problem of overdiagnosis. It has been suggested that in order to combat this problem, a reliable test for ADHD should be developed (Power, 2013). While this idea would effectively stop the problem, developing a test quickly is not feasible. Copious amounts of research is still needed in order to form a valid test. Because ADHD is a neurological disorder, there are many stigmas surrounding it that suggest it is not a true disorder. Due to this, many believe no treatment is needed. These people suggest that children diagnosed with ADHD should not take any kind of medication and that those children currently taking Ritalin should be completely taken off of it. This suggestion

Ritalin has some side effects. Some are more common than some of the other ones.They say that there is not a definite reason on why it has the side effect that it has. If the child takes other medications the doctor needs to know to make sure that it will not affect the child when taking ritalin with other medications. A few side effects are trouble sleeping, headache, stomach ache, and more (Ritalin Side Effects).

The increase of ADHD diagnosis has raised many concerns among doctors in the United States. In 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported new data that showed the number of children diagnosed with ADHD grew by 22 percent in a four-year period Brown University, (2013). The information from the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) raised questions and concerns about the growth of ADHD diagnosis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also stated that the percentage of children with a diagnosis of ADHD continue to increase in the United States. This information was provided by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) to inform the public and raise awareness for ADHD. Researching the growth of

One of the greatest issues with stimulant drugs is how effective they are for what they’re intended to do. The students experimenting with these stimulant drugs without a prescription tend to have varying motivations or explanations for their use but whatever the reasoning, the drugs tend work. The most common reason for use without a prescription by college students is to earn better

ADHD Research Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disability in which children consistently show one or more of the following characteristics over a period of time. (1) Inattention, (2) hyperactivity, and (3) impulsivity (Kirst-Ashman, Zastrow 2004). Children who are inattentive have difficulty focusing on any one thing and may get bored with a task after only a few minutes. Children who are hyperactive show high levels of physical activity, almost always seeming to be in motion. Children who are impulsive have difficulty curbing their reactions and don’t do a good job of thinking before they act.