Attention Deficit Disorder in children - Research Paper Example

?Running Head: ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER Attention Deficit Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder Introduction Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) has become a controversial diagnosis for children who exhibit some of the diagnostic aspects of the disorder without a significant measure of those symptoms. This can lead to children being medicated for anti-social behavior rather than problems that have come from the effects of the disorder. Looking at the diagnostics for the disorder helps to frame which children are in need of intervention and which are suffering from problems based on external factors. The misdiagnosis of the disorder reached a peak and is now being more closely monitored; children are still being medicated when their behavioral issues are not a true indication of ADD. The following paper will examine the nature of Attention Deficit Disorder and how it differs from the often associated disorder of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder or Hyperkinetic Disorder. The condition is examined for its diagnosis, the treatments available and coping mechanisms, and for the problem that it causes for those suffering with it in the context of social interactions. Defining the Disorder Attention Deficit Disorder is a problem of focus. Scientific research has shown that two neurotransmitters are not being efficiently used which leads to the individual not being able to create sufficient focus. ADD is likely based in the anterior portion of the brain as it relates to executive reason through frontal lobe dysfunction (Kennedy, 2010). The management systems in the brain are chemically unable to focus on those things that the child or adult with the disorder need to attend. One of the problems of the disorder is that while paying attention to things that are interesting is possible, those who are suffering cannot focus on those things that are required. Symptoms can include a persistent feeling of distraction, information is not ever fully processed so pieces are missing, there are spatial issues which mean not understanding some parts of grammar or phonetics and decision making is a very difficult problem which either comes with making decisions too quickly or not quickly enough. The issue is not that there is a lack of wanting to focus, but not having the physical capacity to focus on those things that do not have established interest. The chemistry of the brain does not manage the concept of focus well without the aspect of interest (Brown, 2005). Attention Deficit Disorder is a problem with definition. Defining the disorder has been an ongoing process since it was first identified in 1901 with descriptions that included behavioral issues as well as a lack of attention in the classroom. The DSM-V has changed the criteria for Attention Deficit Disorder, but more importantly has re-identified it as a neurodevelopmental disorder rather than one associated with oppositional defiance disorder or conduct disorders. The significance of this change is that it places it into a biologically treatable framework rather one that is treated on the basis of behaviors, which are often associated with the idea that there is a choice involved in how someone responds to their world (Jain, 2012). The three basic issues for the diagnosis of ADD are inattention, impulsivity and the presence of hyperactivity (Acton, 2013). Attention Deficit Disorder has had the feature of hyperactivity applied to it suggesting that the two disorders are similar. While many clinicians believe this to be the case, there is some evidence to suggest that they are two separate disorders and are not the same disorder with an added dimension. Children with ADD+H were often more lethargic and prone to more daydreaming than were children with ADD. ADD+H children often have more subsequent substance abuse later in life as a way to self-medicate their symptoms. In an examination of the two disorders, Barkley, DuPaul and McMurray (1990) found that there may be two separate disorders at work rather than one disorder with additional features. Subsequent studies done by Carr et al (2010) and Castel et al (2011) found similar findings suggesting that ADD and ADHD are two separate disorders. The DSM-V criteria for ADD continue to place it into context with ADHD. There are three different categories of ADD which include combined which includes inattentiveness and hyperactive-impulsivity, the type that is predominantly hyperactive and impulsive, and the kind that is primarily inattentive (Jain, 2012). This can be categorized as mild, moderate or severe. The change that has been seen is in placing into a biologically influenced category, while the findings of researchers who suggest that there may be two distinctly different disorders at work have been ignored. Treatment Kewley (2010) identifies a basic list of criteria for teachers in order to help them to provide information to parents when they suspect ADD or ADHD. That list includes children who are consistently showing oppositional behavior, show signs of depression, have specific learning difficulties, show signs of Asperger’s syndrome, or have low self-esteem. The ability to focus intently on those topics they are interested in and then not be able to focus on those of low interest is also a sign that should be noted. Low attention levels or impulsive behaviors can lead a teacher to develop a profile to present to a parent in order to suggest that evaluation might be necessary. Because it is a medical disorder, treatment requires pharmacological care, but because it is also something that affects social situations psychotherapy in the form of providing coping and coaching can also be helpful. Pharmacological care can mean relief from the symptoms, but it is not a cure for the condition. Ritalin, Adderall, and Dexedrine are the most common drugs used for the treatment of ADD. These drugs act as stimulants which increase dopamine which is thought to be central to the activity of focus. These drugs can have side effects which can create restlessness, loss of appetite, or even loss of sleep. However, the effects of the drugs can be a relief to those who are suffering from the effects, providing them with the means to interact on a successful level (Kennedy, 2012). One of the problems in coping with ADD is that there are social stigmas that go along with the effects of the disorder. Children are called bad, stupid, dumb, and slow with any number of other words that translate into a child feeling that they cannot cope or achieve with what they cannot control within themselves (Hallowell and Ratey, 2011). One of the most important strategies for those suffering with ADD is to learn how and when to ask for help. Being able to ask for help opens the mind up to receive that help, rather than providing a reason to react to the situation in a way that is out of control (Brown, 2004). Misdiagnosis ADD is easily misdiagnosed and one of the problems that is surfacing is that the connection between Asperger’s syndrome and ADD means that some children with Asperger’s are being diagnosed and mistreated with ADD. People with Asperger’s will often react unexpectedly to the stimuli in their environment. This will lead to what is assumed to be hyperactive episodes (Kennedy, 2012). The problem of diagnosing ADD is that it overlaps with other disorders with symptoms of social presentation. Oppositional disorders often can be identified as ADD and vice versa because the symptoms are focused on one or two shared common responses to the world. Another problem with diagnosing the disorder is that there is an expectation that a clinician has developed through which the symptoms are filtered in order to make a diagnosis. Because there are medicines that can specifically help and these medicines are well known, often the clinician will make an assumption in trying to find a way to develop treatment. Attention deficit disorder is specific, however, and if misdiagnosed the individual will continue to suffer throughout their lives without finding the right treatment. Conclusion When a child is diagnosed with ADD there has been symptoms observed that show they have difficulty with focus. Some children will exhibit symptoms that suggest hyperactivity which will mean that they have Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder which means that they exhibit symptoms that include hyperactivity or impulsivity. Some researchers, however, have discovered that there is reason to believe that ADD and ADHD are two distinctly different disorders. The American Psychiatric Association through the DSM-V, however, has not made an indication of differentiating the two diagnoses and still groups them together. They have changed their designation, however, so that they now under a neuro-developmental group rather than a behavioral grouping. Treatment for the disorder includes both medication and therapy, depending on the needs of the child or adult with the disorder. Although sometimes diagnosed, this very real problem can be identified through specific problems in the brain and should be taken very seriously when a diagnosis of ADD is made for a child or an adult who shows enough symptoms to support this conclusion. People with the disorder must address the problems that are associated with this issue otherwise they will have difficulty succeeding in life and will have to find ways outside of medical intervention that may not solve their problems but add to them. References Acton, Q.A. (2013). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorders: New insights for the healthcare professional. Atlanta, GA: Scholarly Editions. Barkley, R. A., DuPaul, G. J., & McMurray, M. B. (1990). Comprehensive evaluation of attention deficit disorder with and without hyperactivity as defined by research criteria. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 58(6), 775. Brown, T. E. (2005). Attention deficit disorder: The unfocused mind in children and adults. New Haven: Yale University Press. Carr, L., Henderson, J., & Nigg, J. T. (2010). Cognitive control and attentional selection in adolescents with ADHD versus ADD. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 39(6), 726-740. Castel, A. D., Lee, S. S., Humphreys, K. L., & Moore, A. N. (2011). Memory capacity, selective control, and value-directed remembering in children with and without attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Neuropsychology, 25(1), 15. Daniels, S., & Piechowski, M. M. (2009). Living with intensity: Understanding the sensitivity, excitability, and emotional development of gifted children, adolescents, and adults. Scottsdale, AZ: Great Potential Press. Fitzgerald, M., Bellgrove, M., & Gill, M. (2007). Handbook of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Chichester, England: John Wiley & Sons. Hallowell, E. M., & Ratey, J. J. (2011). Driven to distraction: Recognizing and coping with attention deficit disorder from childhood through adulthood. New York, NY: Anchor Books. Jain, U. (3 December 2012). Important DSM-V Update. Totally ADD. Retrieved from http://totallyadd.com/important-dsm-v-update/ Kennedy, D. (2012). The ADHD-Autism Connection: A Step Toward More Accurate Diagnoses Kewley, G. (2010). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Can Teachers Do? New York: Taylor and Francis, Inc. Read More