<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…
Over the past 40 years there has been a great deal of controversy regarding the distribution of the leading stimulant Ritalin among ADHD patients. Many critics feel that the drug is widely overprescribed. “Additionally, they claim that Ritalin (methylphenidate) is inherently dangerous and that the entire system of the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD is seriously flawed,” (Safer, 2000). On the other hand, there are individuals that have dealt with ADHD patients first hand and swear by the beneficial results they have witnessed. The major points of both supporters and critics will be expressed throughout this paper. After discussing both positions, the writer of this research paper will present a final conclusion and a personal opinion of the topic.…
Ritalin is a very good drug to use if you have either the disease ADD ADHD. Although you can use it the right way you can also Abuse it.…
In Steven Kurt’s informative article, “Why do some people dismiss ADHD?” Steven Kurt describes the lionized truth behind the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Kurt describes how it’s linked with school dropouts, teen pregnancy, and drug abuse. He has a PhD and is part of the ABPP (American Board of Professional Psychology). Stating that not treating ADHD properly is the main problem, he suggests getting the disorder treated rather than discarding the possibility of it.…
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurobehavioral disorders among children. ADHD can cause them to be hyper, have problems controlling impulse behaviors and trouble paying attention. The common treatment for ADHD is both medication and behavioral therapies starting as early as age four going up into adulthood. This paper will cover the research studies of four different treatments for AHDH to include stimulant medication, non-stimulant medications, behavior therapy, and the natural approach. With the increase in both children diagnosed with ADHD and the amount of children who are being medicated for ADHD, are stimulant medications the best option when other treatments are available when following the research studies?…
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.…
Ritalin is a familiar stimulant drug taken to subdue the typical characteristics of children and adults with ADHD. Ritalin has been proven to be a positive narcotic by responding to the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactive disorder. The familiar stimulant drug offers students equal opportunities in the classroom by allowing those with ADHD the same luxury of learning (Clemmitt). Since taking Ritalin, children and adults alike have noticed an increase in attention, time management, organization, and overall performance (Foley). Explained in Carmen Ferreiro’s best seller, Ritalin and Other Methylphenidate-Containing Drugs, when taking Ritalin the user has more control of how the narcotic affects his or her body due to the drugs short acting…
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.…
Throughout the medical field Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), has been and continues to be a popular subject for debate. In the past critics led us to believe that ADHD was just a glorified disease for parents to medicate their disruptive and sometimes unruly children, but now some doctors studies show that it is an actual biological disorder. ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder of childhood. It affects about 3 - 5% of school aged children. ADHD is diagnosed much more often in boys than in girls.…
In the article, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, the disorder is defined, as well as the current treatment for the disorder which tends to be the drug Ritalin. While there are many other drugs available for treatment, Ritalin is the most popular and between the years 1990 and 1998 the production of the drug increased by 800% (para. 2). “Children account for 75% of Ritalin consumption in the U.S” (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, para. 12). While Ritalin seems to be highly effective in treating children with ADHD there are also many problems with the drug. It has shown to make children very docile and in some instances can completely alter their personality for the worse. The controversy of the use of Ritalin to treat children with ADHD is high due to the fact that the long-term effects of the drug are not known.…
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 3-7% of school-aged children are diagnosed with ADHD. Although the disorder is technically incurable, these children learn to cope with symptoms through a variety of different treatments. These include the use of stimulant medications, psychotherapy, counseling, behavioral modification and neurofeedback (Jacobs 87). To discover which treatment is the most effective, a concise explanation of each, along with their individual regimens, is needed. Next, I will address the belief that ADHD is not a real disorder by providing scientific evidence. Subsequently, I will consult various sources of information to…
Attention deficit disorder is one of the most popular childhood disorders whose symptoms include hyperactivity, impetuousness, and inattention. Professionals concur that it is a hard-to-diagnose, complex disorder, which implies that no single test can reveal ADHD’s presence. The most popular treatment approach involves using medication, behavioral, and psychological therapies (Ardoin & Martens, 2012). Regardless, parents who are considering ADHD medication for the child are advised to understand how the medications work and accompanying risks. Some medications are effective in treating ADHD, but some children exhibit harmful and uncomfortable side effects. Accordingly, the current research is a…
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.…
Children are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) too easily and without being properly tested for ADHD. Many children are being misdiagnosed because parents, teachers, and doctors are not taking into consideration that many other factors can lead to behavioral problems. If used properly ADHD medications such as Ritalin can be very helpful to children who have this disorder, but far too many parents and doctors are too quick to prescribe medications to control behavior. We owe it to children to try to find another way first before a prescription is written up.…
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).…