Effectively Managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Abstract

A great deal of research has been funded to unlock the keys of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. Every researcher has a different idea on how to view the disorder (if they accept it as a legitimate disorder at all), treat it and overcome it. Because it is a fairly newly labeled disorder, there is still much debate over the way it ought to be addressed. This article synthesizes the various views on ADHD and compares beliefs, techniques and studies commonly used by medical and behavioral practitioners today. I reviewed medical journals to determine common thoughts and treatment methods for ADHD. I examined articles written by nutritionists, pediatricians, and other medical professionals to obtain this information.

Effectively Managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects three to five percent of children, perhaps as many as two million American kids (Gillette, 2003).

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ADHD has assumed many aliases over time from hyperkinesis (the Latin derivative for "superactive") to hyperactivity in the early 1970s. In the 1980s the DSM-III called it Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and the DSM-III-R revised and classified the disorder and ADHD, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This disorder can be characterized by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity, and affects approximately one child in every US classroom, or approximately 2 million American kids (Gillette, 2003).

Now that ADHD has been described, what is being done about it? There are many different ways of viewing ADHD. One of the most common methods is with medication.

Children who have been diagnosed with ADHD are frequently treated with psycho-stimulant medications, including methylphenidate (Ritalin®) and amphetamines (Dexedrine®, Dextrostat®, and Adderall®) (McCleary, 2002). While some claim that the use of these drugs turns kids into zombies, some say that...