Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral development disorder among children. In the United States there are at least 2 million grade school children that are diagnosed with the disorder (Dupper, 2003). ADHD is determined to be one of the most common development disorders in children (Barlow & Durand, 2009). This paper will discuss the different aspects of ADHD, its symptoms, common traits, and the known treatments being used by clinicians. Moreover, the paper will also touch on the important things to consider when dealing with ADHD, particularly in the area of social work. By doing so, it will determine why social work should be an integral part of the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.
ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVE DISORDER (ADHD) Dr. George Still was the first to diagnose ADHD in 1902 (Rafalovich, 2001). He detected the disorder in 20 children who all had impaired concentration and over-activity. However it was only after the encephalitis outbreak in the United States from 1917- 1918 that serious study of the disorder took place (Rafalovich, 2001). Clinically called encephalitis luthargica was identified as a specific disease category of children demonstrating unconventional behavior (Rafalovich, 2001). The study of encephalitis luthargica paved the way for research modality in psychiatry that became the neurological basis for childhood deviance, exemplified by modern study of ADHD (Rafalovich, 2001). Today ADHD holds the distinction of being the most studied development disorder in children (Rafalovich, 2001). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, IV Text Revision classifies ADHD as an attention-deficit and disruptive behavior disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Children diagnosed with the disorder usually suffer from attention problems and uncontrollable behavior. More often than not, these children will have impaired social skills, poor academic
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