ADHD Treatment

Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Dis

Attention deficit hyperactivity dis (ADHD ) is a behavioral dis that is typically characterized by inattention , impulsivity , and hyperactivity , although hyperactivity may or may not be present in all cases (American Psychiatric Association [APA] 2000 . ADHD is believed to affect between 3 percent to 5 percent of children living in the United States (National Institute of Mental Health [NIMH] , 2006 . Although once believed to be limited exclusively to children , ADHD has also been recognized in adults . Approximately 50 percent of patients who are treated for ADHD

as children will continue to require treatment after they become an adult (NIMH , 2006 . The recommended treatment for ADHD includes a combination of medication , behavior modification , and psychotherapy (APA , 2000 . Although ADHD medications have been prescribed to millions of children and adults , some parents of children who have ADHD and some adults who have the dis have used alternative treatments , including nutritional treatments , behaviorist interventions , and other alternative forms of treatment . Researchers who are familiar with ADHD agree that without appropriate treatment , ADHD in children and adults can lead to low self-esteem , inappropriate behavior family conflict and social isolation (Atkinson Hornby , 2002 ,

. 48

Overview of ADHD

ADHD affects the individual 's ability to focus his or her attention on a specific task , the ability to control impulses , and the ability to control hyperactivity (Castellanos , Lee , Sharp , Jefferies , et . al 2002 ,

. 1747 . The dis is believed to be caused by differences how the brain functions . Research using images of the brains of children who have ADHD has shown that the brains of children who have ADHD tend to be about 3 percent smaller than the brains of children who do not have the dis (Castellanos , Lee , et . al , 2002 ,

. 1747 . There is also evidence that ADHD is a genetic aspect to the dis . Children who have ADHD often have at least one parent or some other close relative who also has ADHD (Hebebrand , Dempfle , Saar , Thiele , et al , 2006 . This genetic link can make treatment more difficult , especially if one or both parents of a child who has ADHD are themselves adults who have ADHD . Parents who have ADHD may forget to follow up on their child 's treatment , including forgetting to give their child medication on a regular schedule . In many cases , the parent 's ADHD may not be diagnosed and may not be treated . These parents may have a difficult time accepting that their child 's inappropriate behavior , which is similar to how they behaved when they were children , is the result of a neurological dis and not just a normal part of childhood

In addition to problems with learning and other problems in the classroom , children who have ADHD often have a hard time forming friendships with other children . These children are often lonely , which can lead to other behavioral problems as the child tries to seek attention . ADHD affects all areas of the child 's life , including some that teachers and parents may...