Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder vs Parenting Discipline - Essay Example

Speech/Presentation on ADHD vs. Parenting Discipline ADHD vs. Parenting Discipline Good (evening) ladies and gentlemen. Thisis (Student Name) and today I am standing before you all to showcase my viewpoints on ADHD. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or in much simpler words ADHD, is a common mental disorder in young children. Out of the general population, around 8-10% young children are prone to this disorder but as we all know, boys are three times more susceptible to it than girls for reasons that are still unidentified. ADHD is accompanied by violent erratic behavior among kids, inclusive of lack of focus on any task handed to them. Such kids, as we are all aware, have poor performance when it comes to academics or any other activity. They are often seen as the lot which is always screaming, pounding on things and running wild without thinking about consequences of their given behavior. Yes, we all know that the aforementioned symptoms are likely to be found in every single child but what distinguishes between a normal and a child diagnosed with ADHD is their behavior in different settings. Normal kids are seen to exhibit different kinds of behavior at different settings. Their behavior in a way is more malleable but children with ADHD are either nervous or highly excited. Yet it’s difficult to diagnose children because normally, they all show a variety of behaviors. The diagnosing process can go up to months to find out if the child has ADHD or not. If not diagnosed, it can lead to them being adults who are a miniature version of their children on the outside. But from the inside, they are all the same. Adults who fidget and find it difficult to remain seated to do quite things may have been victim of ADHD in their childhood (Rief, 2008). ADHD is a prolonged illness which has affected millions of children, which grows with the passage of time and persists into the adulthood. ADHD itself stands for attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder, a condition which comes with a myriad of problems along with it. The child demands sustained attention and shows impulsive actions or behavior on minor situations. The impulsive behavior is regarded as a challenge for the growing kids as a child who is going through such condition experiences hormonal and mental changes. ADHD impacts the ability to listen, takes a complete control of the impulses which makes it difficult for them to keep a track of their tasks. Parents should understand that children going through ADHD are hyperactive and have trouble in focusing. They understand the questions asked and what a teacher or a parent is expecting from them but the child cannot pay attention completely. Moreover he/she cannot sit or stand still with the purpose of listening or observing the details. The symptoms of ADHD spread on a longer period of time and not only impair the child’s ability to work actively at social level but it also affects the child attitude at academic level (Phil, 2014). According to Matthew B. Pontifex PhD, his research suggests that exercise is found as a wonderful mechanism for maintaining a balance of behavior in children suffering from ADHD. Few minutes of physical activity can assist a child in overcoming distraction and staying focused on the tasks assigned to him/her for boosting their physical and mental performance (Pontifex, Saliba, & Raine, 2012). There are two treatments that surface when we talk about dealing with the symptoms of ADHD. One of them is therapy in the form of counseling and parenting and other one includes medication. Both of them are shown to exhibit good results and both of them have their pros and cons. A consistent therapy that includes both medications and parenting can help improve the condition of a given patient and make them more functioning when it comes to academics or their behavior socially. It should be noted nevertheless that some children may have ADHD due to poor diet, lack of supplements and many other reasons. The parents should try to first to find the causative agent for ADHD in their children and then, subsequently, decide whether their child need medication or not. The medication can also be in the form of supplements, depending on the child (Alexander, 2006). Antidepressants, stimulants and non-stimulants are used that control kids and help them achieve better personalities. Using medication can help control the level of extreme personalities shown by the children. There are many cases where using medications has helped children to overcome the symptoms of ADHD and has helped them to become normal individuals. The list includes medications that increase neurotransmitters like dopamine. But not every medication is helpful. It is advised that medications shouldn’t be given to children who are in elementary school because its consequences are still unidentified. On top of that, many ADHD medications have been associated with certain interactions with other medications, some of which may be dangerous. Medications like marijuana can make one addictive to them and may lead one to other side effects. Yet regarding the majority of stimulants, the best thing is that they work their way fast and their effects can diminish if their usage is prevented. Nevertheless, the medications are proved to give positive results, better than other type of therapies (Miles, 2012). On the other hand, parenting is an option for those parents who are not up for medication. But there are many issues parents face when it comes to their ADHD diagnosed child. It’s common to hear that such children don’t “listen” and hence fail to obey what their parents tell them to do so. Caring and cleaning up after such child is also an issue because such kids don’t complete what they start and are a huge fan of chaos. They demand attention at times and since they don’t look before they leap, they tend to say embarrassing things when they aren’t supposed to. Having such a child in the family is troublesome for other children because quite often, their needs get neglected. Even parents find a hard time managing such a child with other normal kids and a full time job in normal scenarios. It’s normally, advised to such parents to take care of themselves first and keep their emotions in check. If you are healthy and calm then fair chances are that you will be able to get attached with your young at a deeper level. A positive attitude together with an organized routine for such child can help him realize and meet expectations. But treating such a child with a good diet and supplements can be an uphill task and struggle at the beginning. Yet working on ways on a regular basis to improve social performance as well as academic performance can help the child. It can be helpful if awards or tiny treats are awarded to children when they show positive performance and minor punishments are given when the child fails to behave appropriately. In such a way, the child may get to realize that good behavior brings those awards and that negative behavior is not appropriate. Carrying this out routinely can bring about positive effects in any child (Huston & Bailey, 2003). Both the medication and parenting therapy have their respective pros and cons. While a child may become an addict in worst case scenarios or develop side effects due to medication; it may get really difficult for the parents to manage their child on the other hand all by themselves. Professional counseling is advised in both cases and prior to choosing treatment method. But the resolution lies in the hands of parents in the end to select the most suitable treatment method for their child. On that note, I end my speech and leave you open to your preferences when it comes to tackling ADHD. References Alexander, C. (2006). The ADHD Parenting Handbook: Practical Advice for Parents from Parents. Taylor Trade Publications. Huston, J., & Bailey, S. J. (2003). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder:A Parent’s Guide to ADHD. Retrieved from msuextension: http://msuextension.org/publications/HomeHealthandFamily/MT200304HR.pdf Miles, E. (2012). Parenting ADD/ADHD Children: Step-by-Step Guide for Parents Raising a Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Positive Steps Publishing. Phil, D. (2014). Advice for Parents of ADD/ADHD Children. Retrieved from Dr. Phil: http://www.drphil.com/articles/article/150 Pontifex, M. B., Saliba, B. J., & Raine, L. B. (2012). Exercise Improves Behavioral, Neurocognitive, and Scholastic Performance in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. THE JOURNAL OF PEDIATRICS, 1-9. Retrieved from http://kch.illinois.edu/research/labs/neurocognitive-kinesiology/files/Articles/Pontifex_2012_ExerciseImproveBehavioralNeurocognitive.pdf Rief, S. F. (2008). The ADD/ADHD Checklist: A Practical Reference for Parents and Teachers. John Wiley & Sons. Read More