ADHD Children and the Ritalin Debate - Coursework Example

ADHD and “Ritalin” Debates School The discussion around the Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) of children has been raised in the last century, as more and more children are getting this developmental neuropsychiatric disorder that doesn’t let them function normally. Parents of such children also suffer a lot because of this problem, as the nature of the disorder hasn’t been clearly stated by medical doctors. Thus the main contradictory of the entire issue concerns the right ways of treatment of the disorder which might be forced into application with strong guaranty that they won’t do harm to the children’s health and normal development. The most popular medical treatment proposed by doctors in ADHD cases is a medical product called “Ritalin”, which causes a lot of arguments about its efficiency. The opinions on the matter split; some say that “Ritalin” is partially effective and works, others claim that it not only doesn’t work but also worsens kids’ health and leads to extremely harmful consequences. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that appear in childhood. The disorder is characterized by multiple behavioral features and specific treats of character that come out in children of early age (Childress & Berry 2012). Thus among some of the first symptoms that appear in childhood might be mentioned the following: hyperactivity, lack of concentration and disability to focus on the same activities for a long time. Moreover, these children usually are absent-minded, they lose things and forget most of information; they also make a lot of careless mistakes and take risks without thinking several moves ahead; furthermore, they experience difficulties resisting temptations and have a lot of problems with communication with their peers ("Facts About ADHD" n.d.). The disorder sometimes might be not even acknowledged by parents, so they might not notice their children having multiple problems with studying and communication, however, if not make any attempts to fix the situation, because of having the Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, children might lose a lot of time that they were supposed to spend for their early development. An interesting theory about the disorder was suggested on the basis of Zimbardo’s time perspective theory (Masoumi et.al. 2014). Although the experiment was conducted on adolescents with the ADHD still its results may be useful for general prevention of the disorder among younger children. Thus Zimbardo’s theory claims that people’s actions and behavior are based on their perception of time. “The effect of time on human performance despite time perspective is the person’s vision of their future, past, and present is ambiguous in terms of psychology” (Masoumi et.al. 2014 p. 48). According to the research, children who have ADHD will have bunches of negative and painful memories about their past, which might worsen the symptoms of the disorder and, without special treatment, these children might never get rid of ADHD. Moreover, even if they manage to overcome it later, they will have a lot of traumas engaged with being disordered in childhood and will not feel comfortable in society. The Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has three subtypes ("What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)?" n.d.). The first one is the Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, which is characterized by the symptoms that mostly point on hyperactivity, so the child experiences some difficulties with control over emotions and risky actions. The Predominantly inattentive type of ADHD mostly concerns a child’s lack of attention and instability in focusing on activities; thus such children have difficulties with learning and concentration. The Combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive type is the most widespread one because such children have multiple symptoms engaged with all kinds of instability indicative for ADHD ("What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)?" n.d.). Even though the disorder is one of the most explored neurodevelopmental disorders so far, still scientists can’t find the consensus on the causes and nature of it. Some claim that the disorder cannot be considered as a disorder at all, because its symptoms are too abstract and might be interpreted wrongly. Hence, they argue that in fact the disorder might be just a specific feature of childhood characteristics of personality, which will be overcome later in adulthood (Dulcan & Lake 2011). Those scientists that agree that the disorder indeed is a kind of disease have different positions on the matter of its nature. Some claim that it might be a consequence of genetic heritage and the disorder appears only in those children who have disposition to it (Brown 2003). Certain international studies on the matter were conducted on twins and showed that ADHD often appears in the families where it has already been in previous generations ("What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)?" n.d.). However, the researchers couldn’t manage to find out what exact genes cause the disorder. Though, “children with ADHD who carry a particular version of a certain gene have thinner brain tissue in the areas of the brain associated with attention” ("What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)?" n.d.). The same research pointed on the fact that the difference was not permanent and growing up the children with this gene had their brain developed enough to start functioning normally, so their symptoms of ADHD also improved.  The research conducted by Kathryn Brown on the matter of heredity of ADHD revealed that most likely the disorder results from both heredity and environmental factors that in combination cause the typical symptoms of ADHD (2003). Some other studies showed that it is environment which is the main factor of appearance of ADHD. Hence, such factors as alcohol usage and cigarette smoking or even passive smoking during pregnancy could lead to the further appearance of the disorder in the child ("What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)?" n.d.). Another factor that may lead to ADHD is wrong nutrition of a child. Thus overconsumption of sugar and artificial preservatives might not only cause the symptoms of the disorder but also worsen the current condition of a child who has the ADHD (Faraone 2000). There are multiple medical suggestions about the treatment of the disorder. Usually in order to treat the disorder medical doctors prescribe combination of medication and behavioral therapy, which comes after close observation of each child through the period of 6 month and clear diagnosis with possible outcomes perspectives ("Facts About ADHD" n.d.).One of the most controversial issues engaged with medications for treatment of ADHD concerns usage of “Ritalin”, which is a brand name of methylphenidate, the most commonly prescribed medication in such cases. Methylphenidate is a kind of stimulant but not an amphetamine (“Ritalin: ADHD Medication FAQ” n.d.). Thus according to medical prescription information concerning “Ritalin”, it “has been approved for use in patients age 6 years and older for the treatment of ADHD. In some cases, it may be prescribed for children younger than age 6 who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” (“Ritalin: ADHD Medication FAQ” n.d.). The main point of the discussion around this medical drug concerns such questions as whether it is helpful or not and whether it does any harm to children’s health and development both physical and intellectual. Thus no one can define how exactly the drugs work, so many people doubt its efficiency because of simple logic, which questions: how is it possible that methylphenidate, being a stimulant, calms down the children that are already over-stimulated because of ADHD. Hence, researchers (“Methylphenidate: Pros and Cons”) retort to this claim and assert that they suppose that “there is an area of the brain that controls when to pay attention to certain activities and when to ignore other ones is immature and works poorly in people with ADHD; “Ritalin” stimulates those areas of the brain so that the child can better pay attention and focus on his activities” (n.d.). Certain researches reveal that indeed “Ritalin” usage was helpful in multiple cases, because it (along with cognitive therapy) either reduced children’s symptoms of ADHD or defeated the disorder. First of all, it is important to note that the issue of “Ritalin” is frequently considered through the lens of certain stereotypes engaged with the problem whether children should take drugs or not in general. Some claim that there is nothing wrong with so-called ADHD children and the problem is about the parents’ unwillingness to spend more time with their children. Others believe that the disorder indeed affects their children’s behavior and decide to apply some measures, but most of them refuse drug usage and try to treat kids by non-drug methods. For instance, the story of a little boy Zachery, who had severe symptoms of ADHD (“How Ritalin Saved My Child” n.d.), shows that the chosen treatment method depends on parents’ attitude to different treatment approaches only. Although the mother didn’t want to treat her son with usage of “Ritalin”, eventually she had to accept this treatment because the boy started getting troubles at school and during interpersonal communication. Zachery’s symptoms were getting worse and he was slow in development, but with start of “Ritalin” usage his condition improved. However, there are multiple evidences that prove scientists’ hypothesis on the matter of how “Ritalin” works and whether it is efficient or harmful might be false. Thus some researchers claim that even though “Ritalin” indeed might be helpful in multiple cases, it might also produce no effect at all (Bower 1999). The study suggests that the drug fails to help those children who have inherited specific form of a gene involved in dopamine transmission in the brain (Bower 1999 p. 359). Hence, it means that in some cases certain inheritance might impede the efficiency of “Ritalin”. Moreover, there are evidences which prove that in some cases of ADHD treatment “Ritalin” usage led to lethal outcomes. There is a website www.ritalindeath.com that was created by the National Alliance against Mandated Mental Health Screening and Psychiatric Drugging of Children in order to fight with widespread usage of “Ritalin”, because (as they assert) it leads to kids’ death. Thus information presented on the website demonstrates the real-life experience of parents who lost their children because of “Ritalin” treatment. Also, the data of rates of lethal outcomes, presented on the website, denotes that “between 1990 and 2000 there were 186 deaths from methylphenidate reported to the FDA MedWatch program, a voluntary reporting scheme, the numbers of which represent no more than 10 to 20% of the actual incidence” (“Children are dying from ADHD Drugs” n.d.). If “Ritalin” indeed leads to such harmful consequences, then treatment of ADHD is just not worse is. Another study reveals the results that prove that “Ritalin” usage doesnt lead to any harmful consequences, including those charges for relation between “Ritalin” and brain damage and “Ritalin” and possible further drug abuse of the children who used to take the medication in childhood (Wolpert 2013). Vice versa researchers claim that there is no connection between “Ritalin” usage and any physical damages that it is blamed for. However, there are indeed might be some side effects of the medication usage or overdose. Although children might experience such symptoms as decrease in appetite, headaches, irritability, difficulties in falling asleep, and stomach ache (“Methylphenidate: Pros and Cons” n.d.), still almost each and every medication has its own side effects, so there is no rationale to avoid using it if it is being used according to norms. Notwithstanding multiple facts that demonstrate that “Ritalin” might be efficient and does no harm to children’s health, many parents are against the drug treatment of their children’s ADHD. That’s why there are multiple suggestions for other kinds of treatment that avoid drug usage and yet are still quite efficient. For instance, prolonged cognitive therapy and psychological counseling are also helpful in ADHD treatment. Thus as far as some parents refuse “Ritalin” and their children’s treatment wouldn’t have any drug support, they might accept, for instance, a longer course of cognitive therapy for their children. Such longer course might be also efficient, even though it takes more time and efforts. Even though the debates around “Ritalin” are based on multiple contradictory facts and proofs, in most cases the decision whether the medication is going to be used by a child or not is made by the child’s parents. Thus it depends on parents and their attitude to the issue, because there are no clear and doubtless arguments for or against “Ritalin” usage in ADHD treatment. References Faraone, S.V. (2000). "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: Implications for Theories of Diagnosis". Current Directions in Psychological Science, 9, 33-36. Brown, K. (2003). "New Attention to ADHD Genes". Science, 301, 160-161. "Methylphenidate: Pros and Cons". Wayne State University Physician Group. Retrieved 17 April 2015 from http://www.wsupgdocs.org/family-medicine/WayneStateContentPage.aspx?nd=1651 "What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD, ADD)?". National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved 17 April 2015 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml "Facts About ADHD". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved 17 APril 2015 from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html#1 Dulcan, MK; Lake, MB (2011). Concise Guide to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (4th ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing. "Ritalin: ADHD Medication FAQ". Additude Magazine. Retrieved 17 April from http://www.additudemag.com/adhd-web/article/4996.html "How Ritalin Saved My Child". Additude Magazine. Retrieved 17 April from http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/856-2.html Bower, B. (1999). "Gene May Alter Ritalins Effects in ADHD". Science News, 156, 359. "Children are dying from ADHD Drugs". Retrieved 17 April 2015 from http://www.ritalindeath.com/ Wolpert, S. (2013)."Are children who take Ritalin for ADHD at greater risk of future drug abuse?". UCLA Newsroom. Retrieved 17 April 2015 from http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/are-children-who-take-ritalin-246186 Masoumi, Y., Mohammadi, E., Haghani, Z., Sadeghi, H., Sadeghi, M. (2014). "Investigation of Time Perspective: Adolescents Suffering from ADHD". International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 3, 47-51. Read More