ADHD or ADD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and is a common developmental disorder that affects children and adults everywhere. “ADHD is a chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness”. It is a disorder that one may be born with or may have developed from some environmental factor. Approximately five to eight percent of children are diagnosed with the disorder throughout the United States. That means that ADHD is present in almost every classroom and is a problem that many must face. This essay will discuss the different ways ADHD affects the different domains of development and the ways the disorder is commonly treated.
The brains of those who have ADHD function slightly differently than those who have a normal functioning brain and studies have shown that ADHD is a neurological disorder that can be genetic or due to environmental factors or both. Brain scans were taken of people with childhood ADHD and compared with people who had no mental impairments. The brain scans showed that different parts of the brain are activated in the two groups when told to complete a task. This showed that those who had ADHD as children use different parts of the brain to focus. (Textbook)Currently there is no definite explanation for what the cause of ADHD is. However, there is strong evidence that both nature and nurture play roles in the prevalence of the disorder.
ADHD is classified as either Primarily Inattentive, Primarily Hyperactive/Impulsive, or a combination of the three. In order for a child to be diagnosed they much show a certain number of behaviors/symptoms that are listed for each type. Some of these symptoms may include; failing to follow directions, not listening when being spoken to, difficulty organizing tasks, loses things, is distracted easily, fidgets and squirms, cannot play quietly, talks excessively, and interrupts others. Today, the criteria for which a child may be diagnosed is broader than it was years ago making.
One likely cause of the disorder is genes. One study that was done internationally found that children diagnosed with ADHD were likely to have a certain genetic anomaly. However, this study was criticized by another research team which found that the study done had many flaws. The result was that 78 percent of kids with ADHD in this study did not have the allele. This was not very strong evidence. Another study done in the UK followed the behavior of twins and did find significant amount of evidence to suggest that ADHD is often influenced by genes.
Additionally, environmental factors can cause for the development of the disorder. For example, the use of nicotine and alcohol during pregnancy has been shown to have a correlation with ADHD in children. Also, young children who were exposed to high levels of lead are at a higher risk of developing the disorder. These children may be exposed to lead from plumbing or paint on buildings. Another study showed that children who had experienced brain trauma show similar behaviors to those who have ADHD. Lastly, more researches have been exploring the effects of refined sugar on the brain. Evidence shows that high sugar diets can lead to ADHD.
ADHD can present many challenges in a developing child’s life in many different domains such as school, sports, and social interaction and more. ADHD can cause children to struggle with working memory, flexible thinking, managing emotions and self-regulation.
Many people may have the perception that ADHD is just the lack of discipline or willpower, however this is not true. Those children with ADHD brain have a difficult time stay focused and on task making school difficult at times. Some things a teacher might notice in a child who has ADHD is that they forget concepts easily, forget to bring home assignments, and constantly gets distracted. In older teenagers, it may look like they act impulsively, fidgets and talks too much, has trouble meeting deadlines, talks too much, needs to re-read things. This can lead to them doing poorly in school, being placed in special education, and falling behind their peers. Especially if they do not get the help they need from a young age. If teachers are not informed or understanding of their condition, they may make the problem worse and the child will feel like a failure. Doing poorly in school can affect their self-esteem, lead to bullying, and other problems such as depression.
On the other hands, children with this disorder are able to focus very well on other tasks or activities they are interested in. For example, they may excel in a sport or an instrument or a particular subject in school. This would be beneficial for their development because while they may feel inadequate in school, having a certain skill or talent would give them a sense of identity and belonging.
ADHD can affect relationships in children and adults in many ways. Peer relationships are an important part of development as they help children work with others, learn to regulate emotions, develop morals, and navigate a world that is built on social interaction. Unfortunately, children with ADHD struggle with relationships more than others. According to research done by Betsy Hoza, inattention can make observational learning difficult and observational learning is important in acquiring social skills as a young child. In one study, children with ADHD fell into the “rejected category” almost 50% of the time. They often have more difficult making friends as sometimes other children find them annoying and not as well liked.
One study showed that children with ADHD are poor monitors of their own social behavior. In the experiment, children were put into to two groups; with ADHD and without. The children were then to meet and interact with people they had never met before. Those with ADHD rated the interaction as being more positive than the observers noted, whereas children without ADHD rated their interactions similarly to the observers. This indicates that ADHD may have poor self-evaluation skills and the ability to pick up on social cues. The ability to make friends and play with peers is an important part of psychosocial development and lack thereof can lead to significant problems in development. However, there are options to solve this problem.
“Recent reviews28 indicate that the most effective treatments for peer problems of children with ADHD are stimulant medications and social skills training integrated with behavioral contingency management. Medication is effective at reducing negative behaviors that peers find aversive, whereas social skills and behavioral interventions teach and reinforce prosocial skills; however, the best results are typically seen when these interventions are used together.”
ADHD is often treated by drugs. The most common drugs are Ritalin and Adderall but there are many others that work similarly. While the drugs work a bit differently, they both lead to an increase in brain neurotransmitters. The drugs help people concentrate and focus better as well as reducing impulsive behaviors. Both drugs can become very addictive and users must be very careful. There are many side effects such as insomnia, decreased appetite, heart problems and change in personality.
Some criticize that parents and health professionals are too quick to prescribe drugs to children when other options are available. Often times children need to have more exercise, a change in diet, class room adjustments and other adjustments that can be made without the need for pharmaceuticals. In the Book called a “Disease Called Childhood” the author talks about how children naturally are very active and have a difficult time paying attention for long periods of time but we are quick to diagnose them with ADHD and treat their symptoms as a mental illness. However, in other developed countries outside of the United States children are expected to sit still for as long and control their impulses as much as they are in the US. These countries have lower ADHD rates.
“As stimulants have come to be prescribed for ever larger numbers of children, our society’s very perception of childhood has changed. Instead of seeing ADHD-type behaviors as part of the spectrum of normal childhood that most kids eventually grow out of, or as responses to bumps or rough patches in a child’s life, we cluster these behaviors into a discrete (and chronic) “illness” or “mental health condition” with clearly defined boundaries.”
Ultimately, it is the parent’s decision to decide whether to allow their children to use stimulant drugs, or seek help for their children in other ways such as counseling, adjustments, and more.
ADHD can be a difficult disorder to deal with for children, parents, and educators alike. However, it is definitely not the worst of mental illnesses and many people are able to overcome the difficulties that the disorder presents. With the increase in awareness of the disorder, health professionals and researchers are looking into more ways to help people.