Adhd Essay Research Paper Emotionally HandicappedBehavior DisordersAttention

Adhd Essay, Research Paper

Emotionally Handicapped/Behavior Disorders: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Introduction It seems that diagnosing of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder isbecoming more prevailing among kids and grownups. I questionedwhat has caused this addition in figure of people effected by thisdisorder. The purpose of this paper is to analyze that inquiry. I intendto view what Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is, how it isdiagnosed, what causes it, and what are the available and effectivetreatments. ( I have a personal ground every bit good, four people near to andmyself exibit the features of Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder. ) There is a job with ambiguity and incompatibility inmany countries of particular instruction and this is an country where thevagueness can be overpowering and frustrating. Review Definition Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD ) is most commonlyassociated with kids, but grownups can besides be affected by ADHD. TheDSM-IV standards for ADHD are as follows. First the individual must eitherhave marks of inattention or hyperactivity that last for six months and to adegree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with the developmentallevel. Second, some of the symptoms that cause the impairment werepresent before the age of seven. Third, some of the symptoms must bepresent in two or more scenes. Fourth, there must be grounds that it iseffecting societal, academic, or occupational operation. The last criteriais that it does non happen during the class of any Psychotic Disorder and can non be diagnosed as a Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociative Disorder, or a Personality Disorder. Signs and Symptoms Signs and symptoms vary with each individual. The marks andsymptoms discussed will be those that are most normally ascertained byprofessionals and parents in both educational and societal scenes. These marks and symptoms can be categorized into inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, emotional, and positive features. Reif ( 1998 ) identified the most common mark of inattention ishaving problem prolonging attending. Other marks include failure to payclose attending to detail, doing careless errors, loses things easy, and holding problem with organisation. Besides distracted by outside stimulations, doesn T follow through with undertakings, doesn T seem to listen to what is beingsaid to him/her. An illustration in an educational scene is after given a setof four waies the pupil may finish two of them. Harmonizing to Reif ( 1998 ) , the most common mark ofhyperactivity-impulsivity is non being able to sit still. More specifically, hyperactivity marks may dwell of restlessness, frequent unneeded motion, and changeless motion. Other marks include veryenergetic, irrupting others personal infinite, fidgeting, inappropriatenoises, and wiggles in place. An illustration of a pupil displayinghyperactivity would be the pupil that after playing with his pencil whilesitting on his articulatio genuss, gets up to walk around the room devising noise, so goes back to his chair and slouches. This would be done all in amatter of proceedingss. The marks of impulsivity include inordinate orinappropriate speaking, inability to wait, hastes through undertakings, riotous, and frequently interrupts ( Reif, 1998 ) . An unprompted pupil would shout outan reply every bit shortly as he knows it and will non raise his manus or delay tobe called on. Emotional marks and symptoms are non portion of the DSM-IV criteriabut is critical country to turn to. These marks and symptoms may includeirritability, promptly tempered, low self-pride, and immature societal accomplishments. Peoples with ADHD besides display moodiness, over stimulation, aggression, and defeat ( Reif, 1998 ) . There are many traits associated with ADHD that are positive. These traits are frequently overlooked. Peoples with ADHD are frequently originative, advanced, resourceful, observant, and imaginative. They are usuallyhighly verbal, speculative, retentive, relentless, helpful, lovingness, andhumorous ( Reif, 1998 ) . This is merely a sampling of the positive traits thatpeople with ADHD exhibit. Educators and parents frequently concentrate onthe negative behaviours of people with ADHD when they should concentrate onthe positive facets. Diagnosis There is no concrete medical trial to name ADHD ( yet ) , whichoften makes the diagnosing of ADHD subjective. That is why it isimperative that the diagnosing is done decently and by an appropriateand qualified individual. Barkley ( 1995 ) and Phelan ( 1996 ) list six essentialsteps in naming ADHD. The first measure is the parent interview. Thisshould include showing jobs, developmental history, and familyhistory. The following measure is questioning the kid about place, school, andsocial operation. Following, behavior evaluation graduated tables depicting place andschool operation are completed. The 4th measure is to obtain informations fromschool. The information should include classs, achievement trial tonss, current arrangement, and other pertinent information. Step five is thepsychological proving for IQ and testing for a Learning Disability. Thisstep may hold been antecedently completed. the concluding measure is a physicaland/or neurological tests. These stairss are merely suggested, noteveryone follows them. Professionals who can name include ( but are non limited to ) head-shrinkers, psychologists, baby doctors or doctors, andneurologists. Parents, instructors, and professionals may provideimportant information to assist in the diagnosing. The diagnosingprofessionals should ever see other possibilities and regulation themout before diagnosing of ADHD, because of similiar symptoms on otherdisabilities. Phelan ( 1996 ) notes that ADHD is frequently missed in childrenwith good societal accomplishments, high IQ, shyness, no siblings, or no hyperactivity. These traits should besides be taken into consideration so that kids andadults with these features are non overlooked. Suspected Causes The existent cause of ADHD is unknown, nevertheless, there are manytheories on the cause. The suspected causes in the readings seemedto depend on the writers beliefs. Reif s ( 1998 ) list of suspected causes included heredity, traumaduring prenatal, birth, or post-birth, certain medical conditions, orneurological jobs. Heredity seems to be one of the most commonof the suspected causes ( Reif, 1998 ) . When people with ADHD werestudied Reif found that at least one other member of the household ( female parent, brother, grandparent, uncle, etc. ) had ADHD. Barkley ( 1995 ) ranks neurological factors as the most likely cause.This includes any type of unnatural encephalon development or hurt to thebrain. He besides lists heredity as a possibility. Whereas Reif ( 1998 ) linksthe injury to a developing foetus or to the baby during or straight afterbirth to encephalon hurt. Amen ( 1995 ) has done extended surveies with ADHD. He statesthat the underlying mechanism stems from neurotransmitter dysfunctionand decreased frontal lobe intellectual blood flow. Amen besides discussesthe possibility of a weak rousing system in the encephalon root. He notes that

a delayed ripening in the frontal lobes could besides be a possible cause. this cause would assist explicate why some people outgrow theirsymptoms. All three writers list neurological jobs. The jobs theyare mentioning to change from chemicals in Thursday

e brain to level of activity in thebrain. Treatment There are several different treatments available for people withADHD to help them cope with the disability. Some options aremedication, neurological treatments, alternative methods, and strategies. Often, people may try several different treatments or strategies beforefinding the one or ones that work for them. After studying the research I found that medication seems to be acontroversial subject. In many cases parents do not want to have theirchildren taking drugs everyday. These parents may not be fullyeducated in the effects and results of the drug use. The medicationsprescribed for ADHD can be grouped into three categories: stimulants,antidepressants, and hypertensives. Stimulants are commonly used in the treatment of ADHD. Thefunction of the stimulant drug is not to increase the person s physicalactivity level but to increase the level of arousal in the brain (Barkley,1995). The drug effects the area of the brain responsible for inhibitingbehavior and maintaining effort or attention to do things. Stimulantsrecommended are Dexedrine, Ritalin, and Cylert. The effects of thedrug do not last long and do not remain in the body (Barkley, 1995). Changes in dosage may need to be made if weight changes orineffectiveness of current dosage. Some possible side effects mayinclude appetite suppression, insomnia, headache, and stomachache. Sadness, irritability, drowsiness, increased hyperactivity, and tics arealso possible side effects of stimulant drug use but are less common(Phelan, 1996). Antidepressants are less frequently used but work in some cases. The most common are Norpramin or Pertofrane, Tofranil, Elavil, andProzac. These medications are primarily for people that did notrespond well to stimulants or has depression or anxiety in addition toADHD (Barkley, 1995). Like stimulant drugs, the antidepressants alsoalter the chemicals in the brain to modify behavior. Typically thesedrugs are not taken for more than two or three years due to build up oftolerance (Barkley, 1995). Possible side effects associated withantidepressants are also common with many other medications. Theyare dry mouth, increased blood pressure and pulse, nausea,drowsiness, and slowing of intracardiac conduction (Phelan, 1996). Clonidine is also a medication used to treat people with ADHD. Clonidine is a hypertensive usually used to treat high blood pressure(Phelan, 1996). The positive effects of this drug are that it doesn t wearoff quickly like a stimulant and it helps reduce motor activity. Clonidinealso seems to increase a child s level of tolerance for frustration andcooperation (Barkley, 1995). The most common side effect with thisdrug is drowsiness. Blood pressure should be monitored because it isa drug that lowers high blood pressure (Barkley, 1995). Neurological treatments are also available to treat ADHD. Amen(1995) refers to Brain SPECT Imaging to evaluate and treat ADHD. Using this imaging, he is able to determine blood flow patterns and lobeactivity. After determining where the problems are in the brain, thedoctors are able to take a course of action (Amen, 1995). Sears and Thompson (1998) identify neurofeedback as atreatment for ADHD. This process is somewhat complex. It takes thebrain waves and translates them like an electroencephalogram. Thenthe feedback changes the brain activity. The following alternative methods are not scientifically proven andare less effective than previously stated methods but have worked onoccasion. Restricted diets and nutritional interventions work for somepeople with ADHD. Also, proper amounts of vitamins and mineralshelp people with ADHD. Medicines to correct inner ear problems,chiropractic adjustments, allergy treatments, and yeast infectiontreatments are also ways to help people cope with thisdisability(Mediconsult, 1998). There is a wide range of strategies for people with ADHD to use tohelp make everyday life easier. Various strategies work for differentpeople in diverse settings. There are strategies for school, home andself-management. People often need to try several strategies to find theones that work best for them. Common examples of strategies for school is having materialpresented clearly, structure, and using multi-sensory learning andconcrete experiences. At home, common strategies are helping withorganization, effective commands, and constuctive punishment(Barkley, 1995). Self management strategies should include settinggoals, breaking down tasks into smaller parts, and reduction ofstimulation and distraction (Reif, 1998). Discussion After researching ADHD, I found that the steps in the diagnosisand effective treatments are very vague and ambiguous. The authors Iresearched claimed that their own diagnosing process and treatmentswere the most effective. At times, their studies agree, but often theydon t all agree equivocally. This inconsistency is often seen allthroughout the special education field. The diagnosising process seems to have several similarities. Infact, Barkley and Phelan both listed the same six essential steps. Itwould be intersting to see how many professionals follow those sixsteps when diagnosing people with ADHD. It seems that everyone is puzzled on what the cause of ADHDmight be. The most recent research focuses on neurological problemsor heredity. I think that the cause may stem from neurological problems. Heredity seems to be stretching a little bit. It sounds more like anexcuse rather than a case. For example if my grandfather s uncle had,then I might have it also. I am still perplexed by the issue of treating people with ADHD.The research has convinced me that there is not just one effectivetreatment but many. Every person with ADHD must be treated in a . thewat that is most effective for that particular person. Also, when thetreatment that is best is found, it may work for a limited time and then anew one has to be found. Overall, by doing this research, I ve answered a few of myquestions but more importantly preempted new ones to find anwers for. This topic has stimulated my thoughts to find out if other disabilities runinto the same problems with diagnosis, cause, and treatmant as ADHD. Conclusion Looking at the big picture of Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder, we see that there are few characteristics that are concrete. Everything seems to vary with who, what, when, and how. One thingthat is definite is that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is real and iteffects more people than that are diagnosed. Hopefully in time,researchers will come up with concrete answers in reference to thecause and the most effective treatments. Until that day comes, we needto be conscious of and patient with people that have ADHD. References Amen, D. (1995) Windows into the ADD mind. Fairfield, CA: Mindworks Press. Barkley, R. (1995) Taking charge of ADHD. New York: GuilfordPress. Mediconsult.com (1998) Decade of the brain [On-line] Available: http://mediconsult.com Phelan, T. (1998) All about attention deficit disorder. glen Ellyn,Illinois: Child Management Inc. Reif, S. (1998) The ADD/ADHD checklist. Paramus, NJ: PrenticeHall. Sears, W. & Thompson, L. (1998) The ADD book. New York : Little Brown and Company