ADHD Treatment ADHD is not a curable condition but it is treatable, and treatment can begin at any age. The use of medication is the most common form of treatment. Stimulants are the best-known treatments and have been used for over 50 years (KidsHealth, n.d.). Non-stimulants and antidepressants are good alternatives to the use of stimulants. Research has shown medications used to help curb impulsive behavior and attention difficulties are more effective when combined with behavioral therapy (KidsHealth, n.d.). Behavior therapy provides for the development of strategies that assist in creating living routines, limiting distractions, limiting choices and getting organized all of which helps reduce the symptoms of ADHD (KidsHealth, n.d.). Other treatments including megavitamins, special diets, visual training and one on one psychotherapy have been tried. However, scientific research has not found these treatments to be effective (KidsHealth, n.d.). For children and adolescents with ADHD, early identification and treatment promises to reduce the negative outcomes experienced by those individuals that are unrecognized and untreated and can reduce the possibility of future criminal behavior (U.S. Department of Justice, 2001). In most cases, the first line treatment for these individuals is a comprehensive program including medication and programs that address psychological, behavioral, educational and occupational needs.(Young ,S., & Thome, 2011). It is extremely
ADHD is a very common neurodevelopment disorder of childhood. It is usually diagnosed in late childhood, around the age of seven by the teachers. The symptoms are typical during ages 3-6 and if not treated properly becomes chronic and persists even after entering adulthood. Children with ADHD may have trouble paying attention, staying organized and controlling impulsive behaviors. It is very difficult to diagnose and when undiagnosed the children can grow to be mislabeled as trouble makers in their adulthood.
The CDC webpage has many details and facts about ADHD, and the focus is pointed towards children with ADHD, but does not tell us or discuss any ways to treat the disorder. The stated facts are credible and accurate as a government service, if those parents that read that information would think there are limited resources available to help treat their children with ADHD, and that is with a combination of behavior therapy, medication, or with the two together(CDC,2016). According to the physician Sir George Frederick ADHD was called a “defect of moral control.” Even to this day doctors still believe this defect to be true; before any child is diagnosed with ADHD or given medication testing needs to be done. The treatment for ADHD should be individualized (overview of
The goal of this paper is to give an insight to the available treatments for people with ADHD by using two types of treatments, drug therapy and Behavioral therapy. The conclusion found is that drug therapy is more effective at reducing the initial symptoms of ADHD, while behavior therapy is more effective at improving the development of social functioning, however a combination of the two is the ultimate choice.
Each day, more and more children, young adults, and even adults are diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, more commonly known as ADHD. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), 6.4 million Americans aged 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD since 2011, and this number is steadily growing. As one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children, ADHD is often diagnosed in childhood and is a non curable, yet manageable, disease. The most common treatment of ADHD is through stimulant medication, such as Ritalin.
It may be argued that children suffering from behavioral symptoms of ADHD may be resolved and assisted in ways other than with the use of psychiatric drugs, which may include much closer monitoring of educational and social activities. However, through research conducted by Graziano, McNamara, Geffken, and Reid (2001), it was found that there are clear implications that untreated ADHD symptoms in children have negative effects on both the child and the parent, which may ultimately result in unnecessary turmoil for both parent and child from more than simply the disorder. According to Graziano et. al, “parents who report higher levels of parenting stress are more likely to use an authoritarian and harsh/negative style and are less involved in their children’s lives” (p. 1074). They
Four percent of all children in the United States Of America are diagnosed with ADHD (“When Will America Just Say No”). From 2008-2012 the rate of children diagnosed with ADHD went up 30 percent ( While there are this many diagnoses’ not all of them are correctly given. Some people pretend to have ADHD so that they can abuse the medicine with it. This is one of the reasons people are divided at giving their child the medication and not. Although some people think their diagnoses is correct, a lot of times it’s not and it could be solved by making the test more complex because we don’t want children on medication they don’t need, it can have harsh side effects, and pretty much anyone who wants it can get it for their own reasons.
As mentioned previously in the review, the most commonly used interventions for the treatment of symptoms associated with ADHD are behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapeutic medication regimens. While both methods have been shown to produce positive outcomes ²individually, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a combination of both methods when treating symptoms. Pelham, Burrows-MacLean, Gnagy, Fabiano, Coles, Tresco, Chacko, Wymbs, Wienke, Walker, & Hoffman (2005) examined the effect of transdermal methylphenidate treatment combined with behavioral modification methods on ADHD-symptomatic children.
ADHD has an effect on the child’s overall development. It doesn’t impact them as much as some disorders do, but it does take effect. It has no effect on their language and as far as my research shows, it has little or no effect on their self-help skills either, however it does effect the cognitive, and fine motor domains. About half of all the children who have ADHD also have a learning disability. “Among the children who did not have a learning disability, children with ADHD had more learning problems than children without ADHD, indicating that children with ADHD had some difficulty with learning even though they did not meet the criteria for LD.” (Learning disabilities and ADHD: Overlapping spectrum disorders. Journal of Learning Disabilities)
Families who have children with ADHD often experience much higher anxiety and stress levels. A large number of children, almost half, will exhibit signs of ADHD by the age of four. However, most children are not diagnosed until he or she reaches elementary school. The behaviors that are associated with ADHD in children put them at risk for a host of other problems and complications such as completing their education, alcohol and other drug abuse, and an increased risk for delinquency. There has been much research on ADHD in recent years and many different types of medications and interventions have proven to be quite helpful. With the proper diagnosis and treatment, children with ADHD can learn to cope with the daily demands of the classroom, social situations, family interactions, and life in general.
ADHD does not resolve after puberty, 65% persists into adolescent (Wolrich al et ). Sometimes diagnosing is difficult because academic problems that were less noticeable in elementary school become to be more problematic in middle and high school. The demand in mental alertness is higher and becomes very stressful for the adolescent. Adolescents with ADHD are emotionally immature, become frustrated easily, have sudden outburst. These symptoms are sometimes over looked as behavioral problems and are not looked at as ADHD (Wolrich al et ). Educating school staff and keeping Doctors up to date with recent findings is very importin.
Another treatment method for ADHD will be the medicinal treatment. According to myADHD, n.d, there are two types of medication: stimulant and non stimulant. Example of stimulant are methylphendiate and amphetamine. Example of non stimulant is atomoxetine. By comparing parent training intervention method with medication, medication will be a better choice. According to a research by Grizenko, Cai, Jolicoeur, Ter-Stepanian & Joober, 2013, short term usage of methylphendiate will decrease children abrupt behavior and increase their problem solving
The brain is a vital, yet extremely perplex piece of the human body. Our brain controls everything about a person, the way one walks, breaths, talks, smells, sees, thinks, and even how fast a heart beats. The brain can also be underdeveloped and cause disorders and diseases. ADHD is a disorder that lots of children and adults have. ADHD is treated in many ways, but the majority is through the use of medication. Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are being medicated and this medication is affecting the brain and students with this disorder.
Professionals in school settings may assist such children through continuous monitoring and counselling (Pigache, 2004). There are many different types of treatment for kids with ADHD and include cognitive-behavioral training, social skills trainings, individual counseling, and finally, pharmacological treatment. Two of the most commonly used pharmacological treatments are methylphenidate and amphetamines. Providing pharmacological treatment is the least preferred method but is the most widely used one as well considering 70-75% of children on these stimulants have reduced. Many children with ADHD experience different symptoms, all children are different, with different patterns of behavior and personality. Children with ADHD often get misdiagnosed
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common conditions for children to have today. ADHD is a condition that millions of children are affected by and often lasts into adulthood. For the children who are between the ages of six and eleven, medication and behavior therapy is highly recommended. There are two main treatments for ADHD, one medical (methylphenidate), and one non-medical (parenting programs), and they are usually combined. For people diagnosed with ADHD, no matter what age they are, the consistent recommendation is a combination of medication and behavior therapy. Although both are recommended, some people cannot take medication, so they settle with the parental programming.
Have you ever been working on something that is important, when a song pops into your head? Then that song leads to you thinking of something flying, which leads you to making a paper airplane to throw around your workspace. Next thing you know, two hours have passed by, it’s dinnertime, and the work that was set before you, you have yet to actually begin.That’s what it’s like to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and that scenario is one that many teens face on a daily basis. There are three types Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder- Inattentive,Hyperactive-Impulsive, or Combined. Inattentive is usually referred to as just ADD, these students show symptoms of just Attention Deficit, but they lack the hyperactivity component.