ADHD Summary

Summary Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is stated in the DSM-5 to have the symptoms of impulsivity, inattention, and hyperactivity. In order for one to be diagnosed with ADHD, all symptoms must be present. ADHD is most common among children from three to six years old. Although children are hyperactive innately, one can have higher amounts that disrupt their daily lives. ADHD can interrupt a child’s life by producing mental and behavioral effects. Whether it be at home or school. A child’s family environment can either be helpful when dealing with the symptoms of ADHD or it can be the one producing them. A mother is the most influential person in a child’s life, through research, it has been shown, a mother’s parenting style can determine the power of ADHD symptoms. All in all, the topic of ADHD has been widely researched from the behavioral aspects to treatments and therapies. Most common in the United States, families have one or more children. Siblings are friends and have an impact on a way a child behaves and personality changes. Most importantly, if a child without ADHD has a sibling with ADHD, it can impact their relationship. A research by A. Mulligan and
colleagues have been done to show a relationship with children with ADHD and their non-ADHD siblings. Some exclusion have been made for example, adopted children and half siblings. In their findings, it showed that a supportive family environment is associated with less symptoms in children with ADHD and their siblings (Mulligan et al., 2013). It’s reasonable to say that a family who is supportive and able to adapt changes to the child with ADHD can conclude to having a better relationship. Switching over, a mother has the biggest influence on a child’s life. Since being in the womb of a mother, a child has the most connection than with anyone else. Since the mother is influential, she has the ultimate power to distort or make better of a child with ADHD. In a research done by G.T. Harold and colleagues, took into account biological and adoptive mothers and children to show the impact of mothers and their parenting style as well as if biological tendencies can influence the research. Their findings concluded that, genetically influenced ADHD attributes in children evoke more hostile parenting from mothers and maternal practices influence child ADHD symptoms (G.T. Harold et al., 2013). Ultimately, biological mothers and their parenting style can lead them to be stressed with a child with ADHD. Like most children, trouble in school can be more difficult with children who have ADHD.
Typically in school, children with this disorder have trouble with math. The counting portion can be difficult as children do have problems with concentration and having to be still when doing the task. In a study done by C. Colomer and colleagues, showed that children in grades 1st through 5th have difficulty with arithmetic and lexical processes. A high percentage of children with ADHD have severe difficulties on numerical and calculation tasks, particularly with counting and arithmetic facts, and these percentages increase with age (Colomer et al., 2013). As children get older, they seem to be having more trouble with math problems. This is an effect ADHD can have when it comes to
school. There has been controversies when diagnosing a child with ADHD. Parents being the ultimate decision makers on whether or not they want to have their child diagnosed for this disorder is optional. If a mother is concerned about her child being to active and not being able to stay still, she can make the decision on having her child be seen by a physician. In a study done by G. Brady, draws the line about diagnosis. “Integrating a biomedical framework contributes to a child’s behavior to become classified as a child with ADHD” (G. Brady, 2014). In the research, it adds an aspect to the criteria of ADHD. Lastly, the treatments and therapies that go along with the disorder and the question of if it is needed or not is shown light. Often times, children with ADHD are not aware of the side effects that medications can give them as well as taking them at a young age. Children are not aware of their disorder and often times do not know why they are given medication, that is, if the parent decides to treat the disorder with medicines. Other approaches, like therapy, help the child and the family, come to a consensus about the behavior and different ways to parent, to adjust to the disorder. Often times, therapy and medication together, are a great success in treating the symptoms of ADHD. In conclusion, Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is most common in young children and can be misdiagnosed, as children are very active in their natural state. Much research has been done on this disorder that covers issues from behaviors to treatments. Effects of this disorder can be observable or internal, mostly disturbing mental processes. Nonetheless, it can be treatable with medications and therapies. Families are influential in the child with ADHD’s life, so therefore, they are the ultimate decision makers in whether or not their child should be given the diagnosis for ADHD and the treatments.