Are Doctors Over Diagnosing Stimulant Medication To Children Essay
While the free essays can give you inspiration for writing, they cannot be used 'as is' because they will not meet your assignment's requirements. If you are in a time crunch, then you need a custom written term paper on your subject (are doctors over diagnosing stimulant medication to children)
Here you can hire an independent writer/researcher to custom write you an authentic essay to your specifications that will pass any plagiarism test (e.g. Turnitin). Waste no more time!
A new epidemic has hit our society and it seems to be effecting nearly all of our children. Many adults seem to also be suffering from the same disorder . Doctors are giving out prescriptions to try and control those suffering from this elusive and confusing condition. Arguments are abundant in the medical field over the cause. What is the cause behind the disorder ? That is yet another point to argue. No one knows the answers for sure, but everyone has an opinion. The primary point of concern is whether or not doctors are over-prescribing and over-medicating the children that they are responsible for treating.
The new epidemic that is flooding the medical profession, is known as Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADD/ADHD. According to the medical professionals three to five percent, some say eight to twelve percent, of all U.S. school aged children could easily be diagnosed as ADD or ADHD. There are two different types of ADD, the first type is ADD with hyperactivity and impulsivity as the main characteristics (ADD/H), and the second type is ADD with inattention as the primary characteristic (ADD). The two types can combine together and form one final type known as ADHD, with this type inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity all occur within the individual. People all have different ideas on how to deal with this condition. Unfortunately no one can agree on which way is the correct way. Doctors are handling this epidemic with their prescription pads. Prescriptions for Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine are being written at an alarming rate. It is estimated that at this time ten percent of boys in our schools now are taking Ritalin.
Doctors are prescribing stimulant medication at an all time high now to control what they, parents, or teachers perceive as an unruly child. Statistics are mind-boggling. In 1990, 750,000 children were diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Today, there are more than 4 million. Ciba-Geigy, the company that manufactures Ritalin, attributes the surge in ADD/ADHD to "heightened public awareness." Yet some critics compare the increase to an epidemic and claim that parents, teachers, and doctors are over-diagnosing, misdiagnosing and therefore drugging spirited and creative young children. (Andrews) Where did this disorder come from?
This is not a new disorder; it was identified in medical literature more than 100 years ago. The characteristics of this disorder have also been recognized and described in educational literature and research for decades. A popular German tale from the early 1900 s (Hoffmann's Struwwelpeter) written in rhyme for children, portrays a child with ADHD. This shows us that for at least the last 100 years there have probably been ADD/ADHD individuals. In the early 1900 s, when documentation of the disorder began, those who exhibited the signs we know today, were considered amoral. In the 1920 s and 1930 s the individuals were considered learning disabled. That was a label that lasted for many years. In the 1970 s the word Hyperactive emerged. Finally, in the 1980 s the term ADD became the official diagnoses. (Wykoff ) It is interesting to note that the behavior of the people didn t change, just the label that was applied to them. Even with the change in terms used to describe the condition , the rate of diagnoses increased only slightly. In the early 1990 s the explosion of ADD/ADHD individuals and the diagnoses of the condition hit at an extremely alarming rate. ADD cannot be fixed or cured, and sometimes it is not outgrown. So many times this leads to a lifelong struggle of self-control problems and often a prescription of medicine that will follow them through life.
The ADD child is the child who is constantly moving, shaking a foot, bouncing a leg, or drumming their fingers. Also these children tend to not be able to stay on task for any length of time or stay seated. Several terms are repeatedly used to describe ADDers these include: poor, diminished, low, impaired, difficult, interruptive, resistant, aggressive, & erratic. Still more are poor attention, boredom, low tolerance, judgment lags behind, intensity may lead to power struggles with authorities, high activity level, & questioning of rules. The interesting thing is that these are often the same rules used to describe giftedness. Dr. Ned Hallowell, an adult and child psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School, has written several books on ADD. He states "ADDers are highly imaginative and intuitive. They have a feel for things, a way of seeing right to the
heart of matters, while others have to reason their way along methodically. This is the child who, having been reprimanded for blurting out something, is then praised for having blurted out something brilliant." He goes on to say that These people can feel a lot. In places where most of us are blind, they can, if not see the light, at least feel the light, and can produce answers apparently out of the dark." It has been said that ADDers have a sixth, seventh, or even an eighth sense that sets them apart from others. Boys seem to outnumber girls on being diagnosed with this disorder. One sign a boy may exhibit is aggression, the tendency to fight, and repeatedly get angry. A propensity for violence seems to accompany many boys. Girls, on the other hand, are more social, the center of attention, the talkers. These are not traits that someone would seek medical treatment for. Perhaps behavior modification could be attempted, before prescribing a medicine, which, as stated earlier, for some children, will have to accompany them through life.
Although it is usually the negative aspects of ADD that are focused upon, there are positive traits that accompany the
disorder. These can include creativity, hardwork, high energy, resourceful, warm-hearted, loyal, sensitive, trusting, forgiving, fun, observant, down-to-earth, responsive to positive reinforcement, & a stand-up comic. There are several famous American historians who can be linked to ADD. Thomas Edison could easily be the ADD Poster Child. Thomas Alvin Edison is cited more often than any other historical figure for exhibiting classic hyperactive ADD behavior. ADD and divergent thinking styles have even been dubbed "The Edison Trait." Ben Franklin the father of electricity is another historic figure who exhibited signs of ADD. Although these two men were not officially diagnosed, they did exhibit all the symptoms or traits of ADD. Current famous people who have been diagnosed are Robin William and Whoopi Goldberg. All of these well-known individuals have done extremely well in life. We all enjoy their inventions, comedy and humor.
Why must medicine be used to control these children? At times the medicine is beneficial for the aggressive child. If a child is unable to control threatening or dangerous behavior then they may require the medicine to give them the opportunity to stop and think before they act. However, if we compare the overactive child to other types of children is the treatment the same? If a child shows signs of a learning disability we don t look for a medicine to fix that. What if they are shy, or unsociable? We don t give medicine for those either. If a child is extremely violent or aggressive, then yes, if all other methods have been tried, then try medicine. This should be the last resort, not the first or second.
There are many things that can be tried before medication, such as a behavioral modification program. This includes counseling, structure of time and school, positive feedback, family negotiations, internal structure, easing the child into transitions, to assist the child in dealing with peers and peer conflicts, temper control and building self-esteem (this is the longest and most difficult part of treatment). A point system, used at school, with awards at the end of the day may be a possible modification also. Counseling should be offered to the child and their family. Having a child and their family talk out their problems with someone who can guide them through proper actions and reactions often proves to be one of the best treatments available. Many times teaching a child social skills, just the basics, how to resolve conflict and arrive at a solution that is non-violent can also help. Pre-intervention by both parents and school personnel can be beneficial, this is done in the classroom or at home, simply put this requires trying different methods of working with the child, and seeing if the response given is better or worse. Take the child s history to the team members of their school, maybe they will qualify for testing, which in turn qualifies them for an Individual Education Plan (IEP). After trying some, or all of these, if none seem to work, then see a doctor. If a medicine is prescribed, be sure that it is administered exactly as it is supposed to be.
Ritalin, Cylert, & Dexedrine are stimulants that are thought to stimulate the under stimulated brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, which allow the individual to focus, learn, sit still and concentrate. When the medication is used effectively and the diagnosis is correct, these medications will work 80 percent of the time and not all children will need to take the medication for life. (Wykloff) Often times ADD/ADHD is outgrown in puberty. Until that time comes, if it does, the child will have to be treated as normally as possible. This means being held responsible for their actions.
Studies have shown that as many as 65 percent of children with ADHD will have one or more co-morbid (accompanying) conditions at some point in their life. Bipolar disorder, Tourette syndrome, and learning disorders are among the conditions that commonly co-occur with ADHD. The presence of ADHD at any age was found to increase the risk of behavioral and emotional problems. In fact, "one study suggested that 10 to 20 percent of children with ADHD developed mood disorders, and 20 percent developed conduct disorders. (Horan, 20) ADD is not the cause of the accompanying disorder but it may make the symptoms more noticeable, in a child that is already coping with so much.
Over the years many theories have circulated as to what causes ADD. At one time it was assumed that poor parenting caused children to exhibit the signs associated with the disorder. Parents stricken with guilt blamed themselves for everything that their child did that was perceived as wrong, or any problems that their child had. Today, scientists believe that ADD is inherited and passed through families. Another theory is that it is a neurotransmitter deficiency. (Dendy, 10) Researchers also believe that chemicals in the brain, which are not working properly, cause ADD. Still more theories say that there may be a thyroid dysfunction, the brain may not metabolize glucose properly (at a rate less than normal), or toxins may have affected the fetus. Some say trauma after birth to the brain, or infections, premature birth or low birth rate appear to be a common link in most of...
MLA Style
. EssayMania.com. Retrieved on 23 May, 2012 from
<http://essaymania.com/130986/are-doctors-over-diagnosing-stimulant-medication-to-children>
More College Papers
Apply The Rod Or Spoil The Child essay
Apply the Rod or Spoil the Child
It is the natural scheme of life. Human beings produce children and thus are classified as parents. It is and has always been the parent's job to raise and nurture the child, to teach it right from wrong, and to protect it from the harshness of the surrounding env
Anti-Vietnam War essay
The Vietnam war. It changed the lives of many people, eliminated those of others. For those back in America, the hardship was felt as their sons died overseas. In Vietnam, the hardship was felt as their sons and daughters died right in front of their faces as they fled to safety. From pictures that
Against The Privacy Of Aids essay
Last October, the case of Nushawn Williams hit the front pages. He is believed to have infected at least 13 girls and women in Jamestown, New York, with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. His name and face appeared all over the media, shredding the accepted norm of keeping HIV status confidential.