<center><b>Is Ritalin the Answer to AD (H) D?</b></center>The tousled brown hair that weaves so mischievously around his head may hint at the way he feels inside. He is seven-years-old and has already had to repeat a grade. He has an imagination that puts others to shame, but nothing seems to hold his attention for more than five minutes. He was recently diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or what we call AD (H) D.This scene is all too familiar for individuals who discover that they, too, have this learning disorder as they progress from elementary school to college. And in today's society we want a "quick fix" to remedy our problems. Therefore doctors are prescribing the drug, Ritalin, to control AD (H) D. Although Ritalin…
The prevalence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is considerably high in school age children. Three to five percent of students are diagnosed with ADHD. These students also account for fifty percent of the students that receive special education services. The number of adults that are being diagnosed with ADHD is also climbing. Currently, referrals of adults for ADHD are also increasing at a rapid pace; until the 1990s and even to date, this age groups has been a markedly underrecognized and underserved segment of the ADHD population (Barkley, page 1. 2014) People with ADHD exhibit symptoms such as excessive movement (mostly in younger children,) loud play, and academic difficulties due to inattentiveness and hyperactivity. ADHD is very often comorbid with other disabilities, especially with learning disabilities. These symptoms must have begun before seven years of age, persisted for at least three months, and symptoms must occur across multiple settings. ADHD must be medically diagnosed. Due to the prevalence of ADHD, there has been quite a significant importance on the different treatment approaches for individuals with ADHD. Some practices focus on the medical and psychopharmacutical approach for treating ADHD. There are also alternative approaches to the treatment of ADHD. Others choose to combine these different approaches and practices.…
In the article “Dumbing us down: Weapons of Mass Destruction” John Taylor Gatto explains how today’s education system needs to be changed to focusing more on children’s interests instead of an institutionalized curriculum. He wants to revolutionize the school system to something similar to his education in a small town called Monongahela, Pennsylvania. When he went to school he was taught through classical schooling, which trained him to develop independent thinking and the appreciation for great old books before his time. In his small town of 4500 numerous important people have been brought up there including: Joe Montana, the founder of the Disney channel and the inventor of the nerf football. He thinks perhaps the success of these people is related to how they were brought up in school getting a hands on experience by cooking there own school meals, handling the daily school maintenance. He questions how college admission such as Harvard put such a big emphasis on standardized test. Gatto thinks that the education system was founded through a strict military system in Germany to keep the lower and middle classes grounded so leaders could keep capitalism running. During his time as a teacher he talks about how he wanted his students to get hands on experiences. For example one of his classmates was interested in comic book art so he sent her to watch a comic book artist for a week. The last part of the article talks about a way to stand up to the current education system by using Mellville’s moran genius in Bartleby, the scrivener. This is a way to peacefully refuse to go by the current system and simply reject it by getting large groups to not take the tests that schools hand out. Although John Gatto has some very intriguing information I, strongly disagree with his article. He never gives a reasonable way to fix our curriculum, but can only hope enough…
I, myself am interested in the educational system and how it both positively and negatively affects students. I found that Ken and myself shared similar viewpoints, however he went into so much depth that it even further opened my mind. This talk impacted me much more than I thought it would; I realized that I have not really thought about it in as much detail as I anticipated. I have become more aware of not only how much the current educational system will affect the future of my generation but upcoming generations and their future. One thing about Ken’s talk that surprised me was the fact the all around the world, the curriculum is the same; all educational systems prioritize the same subjects - the subjects that allow you to prosper, rather, as opposed to the arts. It led me to thinking about how important it is to change the way the curriculum works before it is too late. My mind started to really ponder on all the times that the sciences were immensely stressed, much more than any art based subject. To actually participate in what I was passionate about, in secondary school I had to join a dance program because there were not many options for dance among the “regular” classes. One hundred years from now the world will be full of a completely different population, who may or may not get the chance to see how creative and intelligent young children truly are. The worst case scenario is that due to this ignorance, children will never be given the opportunity to explore their creative minds due to the current limiting educational system. This information has pushed me in a direction to keep a close eye on my younger cousins, who have just recently begun their educational journey. I will ask them questions about their experiences in school revolving around what they do in school, whether they are ever asked to stop doing something they enjoy,…
As science and medicine become more advanced, more and more human behaviors are becoming medically defined. Humans are becoming dependent on drugs in order to live a normal life. Possibly the most severe occurrence of this idea is in the diagnosis of ADHD in American children. ADHD did not exist in the 1950’s, but by 2006, about eight to ten million children in America were diagnosed (Stolzer 109). This dramatic increase has caused many to question the ethics behind the diagnosis, and treatment, of ADHD in our children. Why is this issue so prevalent in 21st century America, and are these stimulants used to treat ADHD even safe? There is no question that symptoms matching those of ADHD are becoming more common in America’s children, however, the disorder is still being over-diagnosed.…
The author makes a good point in that our children are showing more and more signs of ADD and ADHD. Also that most of these diagnoses are of boys age’s three to nine (One in four US schoolkids doped on Ritalin, 2000, para. 9). However…
ADHD is a sociological problem. Our schools are overcrowded, parents are too busy to spend time with their children and, technology has taken the place of physical activity. Children are trying to deal with these changes are other stressors in their environment largely alone. Educators are overburdened with demands for better scores on standardized tests. With the increasing classroom size, they have no time to focus on the children that demand more attention. In order to have all the students conform to the same standards of behavior, the children that fall off the spectrum are prescribed Ritalin.…
This first article is mainly pertaining to the examination of both sides of the controversy concerning the administration of medication to treat students with ADHD. The article speaks about how many teachers and parents don’t think their students or children have ADHD, they just think they are unmotivated and lazy towards their work. Another…
ADHD has become popular within our communities. After reading medical literature, it is very apparent that there is an increased pressure parents and schools. This…
I have seen a lot of children receiving medication as a treatment and I have a feeling that there are some instances of over diagnosis and over treatment. There are three questions of important to the study and it concerns the treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). First should educators and health care professionals determine a students learning style before labeling a child as being ADHD? Secondly are the diagnostic tools enough to diagnose and manage children who have been determined as having ADHD? Finally, why isn’t behavioral therapy considered as the first line of treatment? There are some children that benefit from counseling or from structured therapy. Even though this may not work for all students I wonder if they how many take the time to try before they medicate.…
ADHD medication is becoming a very popular diagnosis among today's children. There is a great divide amongst people on if it actually helps the students or if it is being prescribed way too frequently and just drugging hyper active kids. ADHD medication is being proven that it is not over prescribed and helps student be able to focus and do better at school and in life.…
Should children with ADHD be medicated? Many parents, physicians, and teachers may say yes, but I believe there are too many risks for children with ADHD to be medicated. Parents in America are often turning to medication as a first option for their children instead of seeking alternative methods of medication and therapy. The Food and Drug Administration reported that some 10.8 million prescriptions were dispensed for children with ADHD in 2002 (Roberts). Taking the appropriate and safe measures in helping children is a parent’s job. Pumping children with medication that will make them quiet and zoned out is irresponsible on the parent’s part. The FDA reported that between 1999 and 2003, 19 children died after taking prescription amphetamines, the medications used to treat ADHD. These are the same drugs for which the number of prescriptions written rose 500 percent from 1991 to 2000 (Roberts). Children with ADHD are being medicated unnecessarily now more than ever. A key problem is that there is no biological test or blood test that can identify the disorder. In many situations, children who are hyper and disruptive in school or have difficulties concentrating are diagnosed with ADHD. The reality is there are plenty of possible alternatives as to why children are behaving this way.…
Nearly one in 10 children in the United States is being diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, according to a new government study. That’s an increase of more than 40% percent compared to a decade ago. Today, over 30 million children in the United States have been identified with this disorder, and 99% of those diagnosed have been prescribed a stimulant-based medication. Article, The ADHD Epidemic in America, questions why so many people, especially children, are being diagnosed and prescribed at such an increased rate. Some say that doctors are over diagnosing patients while others believe that the epidemic is simply related to the generation. But According to J. M. Stolzer (2007), “Behaviors that were once considered normal…
Through his logical and familiar depiction of the situation, highlighted by his use of humor, Kahn is able to translate a rather complex issue into an argument that anyone can understand and offers a solution. Even though he is the pioneer of this idea, his clear understanding and depiction of the situation lend weight to his idea, even to those who might now know who he is. Many would agree that there are problems with the education system and Kahn highlights those while also explaining why they happen. If someone then considers the success that Kahn has had with Kahn Academy, it is clear that his ideas have some merit. Perhaps the most compelling part of his argument is his portrait of what the future could be like with a better education system. With a little effort, perhaps in the not-so-distant future the education system could be improved enough to allow everyone to contribute to difficult problems facing…
According to studies there are more than an estimated 6 million kids aging in the range of 4 to 17 that’s been diagnosed with ADHD which is an increase of 15 or more percent since studies done in 2007 regarding ADHD and it is over a 40 percent increase from in the past ten years. Most of the children diagnosed with ADHD have received prescriptions to use stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse, which are known to tremendously improve individuals’ lives that suffer with ADHD however these drugs can result to an individual to have anxiety, psychosis, and can lead to addiction. Many of people are floored at the astronomical numbers such as a professor of Yale that studies medicine where he states “Mild symptoms are being diagnosed so readily, which goes well beyond the disorder and the zone of ambiguity to pure enhancement of children who are otherwise healthy” (Dr. W. Graf, 2013). To make matters worse there will be a larger number of teenagers that are going to be prescribed Adderall, Vyvanse, or Ritalin in the foreseeable future because the APA (American Psychiatric Association) is considering changing the meaning and definitions of ADHD to allow room for more individuals to be diagnosed with the disorder which means more will be treated with stimulants. ADHD is normally described by many doctors as a result of chemical levels abnormity that is associated in the brain that impair an individual’s attention skills and impulses control (NIMH, 2013).…