Ritalin and Aderall

In this day and age, drugs are being prescribed without hesitation. In fact, many of these drugs are being prescribed for children with various disorders. One of these disorders is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). An estimated five to ten percent of children are diagnosed with this syndrome (Taylor 11). One of the methods to treat this disorder is to use stimulants, specifically Ritalin. This method is controversial because it has many side effects and its long-term effects are unknown. It can also lead to addiction. Approximately two to three percent of elementary school children are taking some kind of stimulant to treat ADHD (Taylor 64). Since so many children are taking this medication, new problems have arisen.

According to an article about the side effects of ADHD medication on Psych Central, the younger the child, the worse the side effects will be. Any child aged seven to nineteen are four to five times more likely to die of unexplained cardiac arrest due to the amounts of adderall and dexedrine in the ADHD medication. Among the many drugs used to treat the disorder, Ritalin is one of the most common. Although this medication is developing a negative reputation after the number of deaths found linked to this Stimulant. One story of a boy named Matthew, his last name is not released to the public, died at the age of 14 due to cardiac arrest caused by his ADHD medication, Methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin. Side effects from any behavior stimulant can cause side effects such as; panic attacks, insomnia, new or worsening depression/anxiety, violent mood swings, mania, etc. All of which are much worse when given to a younger child compared to an adult. The side effects of this medication whether it be needed or not can be very dangerous which is why many children should not be taking it unless it is drastically

In today's fast-paced society, it seems that prescription drugs are a more reasonable and reliable solution for children and adults than diet and exercise for the "disease" known as ADHD. Rather than take the time to play with their children, or institute a proper diet, it seems that increasing numbers of parents would rather treat their children's unexplained zest for life with pills and doctors. While there are some explanations and reasons for the diagnosis of this popular disease, most children are improperly diagnosed, and are therefore taking unneeded medication. This medication is costly and it can be argued those who benefit from the sale of these drugs most are the

There are many medications that affect children’s health in today’s society. Doctors prescribe lots of medication which can be avoided, when children are properly diagnosed with certain health problems. Attention - deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has impacted many people with the danger of certain medications which is overprescribed to all ages each year. The hidden dangers of the medications these doctors are prescribing, is that our children are being misdiagnosed with ADHD at a very early age, and this is causing many different side effects. Long term use of these medications can cause severe side effects. The most commonly prescribed drugs, are Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta, which cause children to have nervousness, appetite suppression, insomnia and increased blood pressure and heart problems. Also pharmaceutical companies are well aware of the danger to children and adults that these drugs may cause.

This overabundance of coverage has led to a kind of public hysteria, parents and doctors now see ADHD around every corner. It has almost become a social norm for a child in school to have ADHD. One could argue that ADHD isn't necessarily a disorder but an unfortunate byproduct of a fast paced reward driven Society. Luckily there is hope. Recent studies have been done and new tests have been designed to help curb the tide of malingering in terms of ADHD. “The IVA CPT adequately distinguished adults with ADHD from non-ADHD” (Colleen A Quinn 2003) Many people will fake the symptoms of ADHD in order to get access to the prescriptions given to those who suffer from the disorder I say few that these medications will help give them in the edge in their work or home life. Students will sometimes take these drugs and hopes that will help them focus on the paper that there trying to write or give them that needed edge to focus on the test they are taking the next day. Either is are pursuing these drugs for recreational use they are hoping for a high off of the schedule

Ritalin is currently prescribed to approximately six million people in the US. Of those six million, 75% of these are children, with boys receiving Ritalin about four times more often than girls. Ritalin is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system. It interacts with chemicals in the brain and nerves that give way to hyperactivity and impulse control. Not only is Ritalin used to treat ADD and ADHD, it is also used to treat a sleeping disorder called Narcolepsy, which is an uncontrollable desire to sleep, but there is another drug that given just as Ritalin, and it is called Adderall. Adderall is almost the exact same as Ritalin except it actually enters the cell and helps it produce more dopamine.

My point of view regarding the issue of using psychotropic medications to treat ADHD (and/or EBD) in children and adolescents.

Ritalin and other drugs used to treat children with ADHD and ADD have been given a lot of negative and some positive press over the years, but what is alarming is the statistics which I discovered from Suellen May, the editor of Understanding Drugs: Ritalin and Related Drugs: “In 1996, an estimated 1.5 million American schoolchildren (approximately 3-5% of all U.S. schoolchildren) were taking Ritalin daily” (9). The number clearly doubled over the years, which indicates that the use of Ritalin is increasing tremendously in America. With this in mind, while some feel that Ritalin is helpful overtime, the numbers show that Ritalin is actually not the best treatment for those who suffer from ADHD or ADD.

Medicating our children with ADHD, is having a disastrous effect on our society. Not only are there more and more children being prescribed medication at a record pace, it has gotten way out of control, through misuse, and abuse. In 2011, there was an actual “shortage of ADHD medication” nationwide (Aikins, n.d). The doping of America with an array of those alleged “quick fix” drugs began a long time ago. However, now it seems our children are being targeted, and are even being used as guinea pigs. Some are even being medicated for convenience. Some parents are too busy and seemingly cannot be bothered to work with their own children, who may be struggling, or have not developed faster mentally. Teachers, school administrators, and day care providers may be finding it easier to deal with children when they are medicated. At what point do we as a society say, enough is enough? At what point do we roll our sleeves up and get busy by investing our time and energy back into our children instead of trying to fix everything with these quick fix drugs? Are we allowing our children to fully grow mentally before we resort to drugging them, or are we being misled by those who see profit rather than being concerned about the abuse and misuse of their product?

Another common opposition to ADHD is the medications used to treat it. People wonder why hyperactive children are being treated with stimulants. The side effects of stimulant medications seem to not be so positive and don't seem to be acceptable for a child with ADHD. Side effects such as motor tics, insomnia, and loss of appetite are all commonly seen among stimulant medications. Stimulant

Ritalin is another example of a prescription ADHD stimulant that is misused frequently with a high mortality rate from overdose. Ritalin, which is more prevalent with high school age students, is primarily misused for weight loss and a feeling being high. The majority of children misusing prescription drugs such a Ritalin are under the impression that it is safer then illegal street drugs (CCHR, 2013). Ritalin is the most common stimulant drug prescribed to children with ADHD, but is also prescribed for other disorders, such as cancer, brain injury and pain management (Morton & Stockton, 2000). According to Morton & Stockton (2000) the effects of Ritalin are similar to the feeling of using cocaine, which may be one of the reasons that the ADHD drug is misused. According to research done by Musser et al. (1998) most school aged children using Ritalin did not think that Ritalin or any other prescription medication for ADHD could be abused. This ignorance may be part of the overwhelming reason that drugs such as Ritalin are becoming more widely

Some researchers claim that Ritalin does not lead to drug abuse. Everyone who has taken Ritalin does not use other drugs. Biederman, who is a researcher, conducted a research about Ritalin and the connection to drugs. Biederman stated, “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity (ADHD) boys treated with stimulants such as Ritalin are significantly less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol when they are older rather than ADHD boys who are not treated. This evidence proves that Ritalin reduces the possibility of drug abuse later in life. On the other hand, other researchers claim that the addiction of Ritalin has a connection with other drugs. Ritalin has characteristics of other drugs such as cocaine. Ritalin and cocaine both increase dopamine levels in the

     Have you ever suffered or known anyone that has suffered from attention deficit disorder? A.D.D. is a biologically based condition causing a persistent pattern of difficulties, which includes three types of behavior. These three types are difficulty attending or focusing on a specific task, difficulty inhibiting behavior, and difficulty controlling impulses. In 1950 the prescription drug Ritalin was patented and manufactured by the CIBA-Geigy Corporation. This drug stimulates the central nervous system, with effects similar to but less potent than amphetamines and more potent than caffeine (Bailey 1). Several million children are being treated with Ritalin on the grounds that they have

The increase of ADHD is a trend because it has been occurring for several years. ADHD is one of the most well – known neurodevelopmental disorders Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), (2016). The possible consequences of the increase of ADHD is that the ADHD diagnosis will continue to rise, patients will not receive proper care, and ADHD diagnosis and medication will be overused. According to Gordon, J (2013) a study from the state of California showed the diagnosis of ADHD increased by twenty-four percent between the years 2001 and 2011. The awareness of ADHD may have contributed to increasing of ADHD diagnosis in the United States. Many doctors and physicians have noticed the rise in ADHD diagnosis occurring over the past several years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discovered in their data that parent-reported cases of ADHD led to the increase by 22 percent between the years 2003 and 2007 Gordon, J

One disadvantage of Ritalin is that it can cause a decrease in appetite and therefore the child may lose weight, this is concerning because a child needs all their daily calories to grow and develop physically. Another disadvantage of Ritalin is that in the evening the dose is metabolized and wears off leaving the individual having difficulty falling asleep and can be problematic for the family who are tired at the end of their day. Some children also have issues with headaches and stomach ache when taking Ritalin. Rarely Ritalin has been the cause of high blood pressure and has been linked to sudden death with children who have heart problems or heart defects (Csiernik, R. 2014). A small percentage of children have facial tics and a small