Research Topics: Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Essays

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Porter 5 forces analysis 1)         Threat of New Entrants   Threat of new entrants into the Fast Food market within Hong Kong is high as there are few proprietary product differences and the cost to enter the market is relatively low. It is assumed that skilled labor would be easily accessible at a reasonable cost given Hong Kong is in a position where GDP/GNI is still low and growing.   Large established companies with strong brand identities such as McDonald’s and KFC do make it more difficult to enter and succeed within the marketplace, however, given the country is yet to be saturated with fast food restaurants there continues to be opportunity. The newcomer to the Hong Kong market could find that they are faced with price competition from existing chain restaurants.   2)         Bargaining Power of Buyers   <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Unsettled controversies about Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder increase the risk of wrong treatment and diagnosis.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> While information on the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is widely available, the lack of comprehensive understanding affects how the people perceived it. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> The Church views that ADHD as a mental disorder does not exist, while Scientologists keeps on inventing medicine for its treatment, as these are two different perception about ADHD, the proper treatment to such disorder still remains to be unresolved.</li>   src=”http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js”> Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

Porter 5 forces analysis 1) Threat of New Entrants Threat of new entrants into the Fast Food market within Hong Kong is high a...

Why Are Boys Diagnosed With ADHD Than Girls?

Why Are Boys Diagnosed With ADHD Than Girls?   Problem Formulation               There is a certain disorder that accounted for three to five million children and adults alike and although it has been identified and described many years ago, it has only been paid enough recognition only recently.  This is the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that occurs to about 3 to 10 percent of school-age children and 4 to 5 percent of adults (2000).  Wender (2000), along with many child psychiatrists agreed that this behavior disorder appears and more common in boys than in girls (p. 4).  The evidences that prove this assertion are fairly noticeable and clear.  Although ADHD occurs to both children at their school-age and to adolescents and adults alike, it has been the purpose of this paper to illustrate and explain appropriately why boys are diagnosed and common with the disorder than girls.                This paper is for the purpose of understanding the relevance of the disorder to the nature of the boys that would clearly answer the question of this essay along with the growing awareness of the problem of ADHD.  More importantly, this study helps people, especially parents, in providing the present thinking about the nature of this problem and some recommendations on how to manage it.    Literature Review               In the past, the disorder ADHD had a variety of names given by psychiatrists more usually referring to childhood disorder.  It was initially termed “hyperactivity” then gradually became “Attention-Deficit Disorder” (ADD).  A separation between the two terms was used to differentiate between children who exhibit hyperactivity but not specifically Attention-Deficit Disorder.  For the reason that hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder frequently goes together, psychiatric experts combined it and came up with an official tern Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).               (2000) formulated the most important points that would guide parents and all concerned about the ADHD: <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> ADHD is the most common chronic psychiatric disorder of childhood.  It is probably two to three times more frequent in boys than in girls.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> ADHD very recurrently continue into adolescence and adulthood.  Without treatment, the child is likely to have increasing school difficulties and is much more likely to develop behavioral problems than his non-ADHD classmate that can lead to “at-risk” behavior.  The child then becomes at risk to himself and to society and thus, to an extent, in the eyes of the law.  </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> ADHD is not a recent discovery.  The symptoms of the disorder in children have been recognized since 1863 by a British physician.  Moreover, the treatment and the use of medication for ADHD are also not new with some drugs from the 1930s still being used and available nowadays and even effective than the common drug recently made. </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> ADHD is likely transmitted genetically.  In other words, it is probably a hereditary disorder.  The exact way on how ADHD is passed on is still not known, however it may be as a different structure or chemical functioning in the brain.  </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> ADHD often occurs and appears along with other disorders.  It frequently goes along with learning disorders as well as behavioral disorders such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder and Conduct Disorder.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> There would be two reasons why it is necessary to identify and treat ADHD as soon as possible: First, treatment will help the child in the very moment before it gets complicated.  If the child learns more easily at school, it helps him avoid the anxiety and depression associated with academic difficulties, unpopularity with other children, and conflicts with his parents.  Second, early treatment may decrease the risks of problem behavior ADHD children are more likely to develop in adolescence.  </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> The diagnosis of ADHD in children is made on the basis of a careful history from the mother and father or others who have helped raise the child.  </li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> There are no special psychological or laboratory tests for determining whether a child has ADHD. As previously mentioned, the diagnosis is based on the interviews described and by rating scales. Although no special psychological or laboratory tests can diagnose ADHD, there are tests to diagnose learning disorders: IQ tests and achievement tests in reading, spelling, and mathematics.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> In many instances medication can reduce and sometimes eliminate many of the problems of ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults. Treatment with medication may produce substantial benefit in 70 percent of school-age children and in at least 60 percent of adults with ADHD. An important point about the drugs used to treat ADHD is that they are not addictive in ADHD patients when taken in the doses prescribed. A second point is that the treatment controls the symptoms of ADHD even though it does not cure it. This is not unusual in medicine. For example, insulin does not cure diabetes, but it enables diabetics to metabolize carbohydrates; anticonvulsants do not cure epilepsy, but they prevent epileptic seizures.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> Psychological treatment of ADHD can be very helpful for both children and adults. Changes in child-rearing behavior can help parents deal with the ADHD child. Educational remediation (special education or resource education classes) may be useful for ADHD children who also have learning disorders. Currently these treatments are being evaluated in a large collaborative study conducted by the National Institutes of Mental Health.</li> <li class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 200%"> In adulthood, medication is effective, and studies have shown that such therapies as couple therapy and psychoeducational therapy may be helpful. Others forms of treatment (such as group therapy) are being evaluated.</li>   Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common and most debilitating disorders amongst school-age children, yet it is probably one of the least well understood. It has received a lot of attention recently, mainly because of the large numbers of children, particularly in the USA, receiving drug treatment for the disorder. Where children have behavioural difficulties and parents are finding it difficult to cope, it is likely that they will turn to teachers for advice and help.    ADHD can significantly affect children’s progress at school, not only their work, but also their social development and the relationships that they have with teachers and their peers. If not detected early, long-term problems can lead to poor educational achievement and social isolation. For these reasons, it is vital that teachers know about the disorder and are able to offer appropriate support to children in their classes and advice to parents, as well as helping them access other sources of information and guidance.   Parents and Teens on ADHD               Eighty-seven male teens (ages 12-18 years) with ADHD/ODD and their parents were compared to 32 male teens and their parents in a community control (CC) group on mother, father, and teen ratings of parent-teen conflict and communication quality, parental self-reports of psychological adjustment, and direct observations of parent-teen problem-solving interactions during a neutral and conflict discussion. Parents and teens in the ADHD/ODD group rated themselves as having significantly more issues involving parent-teen conflict, more anger during these conflict discussions, and more negative communication generally, and used more aggressive conflict tactics with each other than did parents and teens in the CC group.   During a neutral discussion, only the ADHD/ODD teens demonstrated more negative behavior. During the conflict discussion, however, the mothers, fathers, and teens in the ADHD/ODD group displayed more negative behavior, and the mothers and teens showed less positive behavior than did participants in th e CC group. Differences in conflicts related to sex of parent were evident on only a few measures. Both mother and father self-rated hostility contributed to the level of mother-teen conflict whereas father self-rated hostility and anxiety contributed to father-teen conflict beyond the contribution made by level of teen ODD and ADHD symptoms.   Results replicated past studies of mother-child interactions in ADHD/ODD children, extended these results to teens with these disorders, showed that greater conflict also occurs in father-teen interactions, and found that degree of parental hostility, but not ADHD symptoms, further contributed to levels of parent-teen conflict beyond the contribution made by severity of teen ADHD and ODD symptoms.   The vast majority of research on ADHD generally, and parent–child relations specifically, has focused on children, primarily boys, between 5 and 12 years of age. Little research exists on teens with ADHD, most of which comes from follow-up studies of hyperactive children into adolescence. Far less research exists on clinic-referred adolescents with the disorder. This is particularly so for research on parent-teen relations. Yet the extent of parent–teen conflict has been shown to be a significant determinant of concurrent and later adolescent psychological adjustment (1998).   Only two studies have examined the nature of mother–teen interaction patterns in the families of adolescents having ADHD; these studies suggest that conflict is substantially greater than in control groups and is particularly evident in the subset having co-morbid ODD (Barkley, Anastopoulos, Guevremont, & Flecther, 1992; Barkley, Fischer, et al., 1991; Fletcher, Fischer, Barkley, & Smallish, 1996).   In view of the shortage of information on clinic-referred teens having ADHD, and particularly on their parent–teen interactions, the present study sought to investigate further the nature of these interactions in ADHD teens having co-morbid ODD. Specifically, this study attempted to determine whether previous findings on mother–child and mother–teen interactions in co-morbid ADHD/ODD samples could be extended to father–teen interactions. Only three previous studies have examined father–child interactions in ADHD children ( 1992; 1996;1983), and none have studied father–teen interactions.   The previous studies using children found few differences in the father–child interactions of children with ADHD relative to normal children but did find greater conflict in the mother–child than in the father–child interactions (1992;  1983). Once again, the presence of ODD appeared to magnify the reports of family conflict in the ADHD compared to the control families ( 1996).   Method   This study involved a total of 87 male teens with ADHD/ODD and 32 community control male teens recruited over a 3-year period. The teens with ADHD/ODD and their parents were subsequently assigned to one of two behavioral family therapies for the treatment of parent–teen conflict. The results of that treatment study are reported in a separate paper ( ).   All teens enrolled in this study had to be between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age, be the biological child of at least one of the parents living in the home or have been adopted at birth, and have an IQ greater than 80 on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (  1990). Teens were excluded if they had the following conditions: deafness, blindness, severe language delay, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or psychosis, as established through parental and adolescent interview and history. The teens and parents signed statements of informed consent. The project and consent forms received approval from the institutional review board for research on human subjects.   Conclusion               It is fairly evident that in the study of this paper that ADHD is more common in boys than in girls.  A rough estimation could be accounted to boys as the more number of reported cases of ADHD.  Even though almost all of the studies concerning ADHD show that the disorder is widespread in boys, some authors and even physicians cannot certainly answer the question on why do ADHD is more common in boys than in girls.              By taking a look at the natural difference of boys from girls, we can probably formulate an answer to the question.  Most of the time, boys are more active than girls.  Knowing that ADHD is greatly associated with hyperactivity, this reason could be responsible for the still-unsolved mystery of why boys are diagnosed with ADHD than girls.                  Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Why Are Boys Diagnosed With ADHD Than Girls?

Why Are Boys Diagnosed With ADHD Than Girls? Problem Formulation There is a certain disorder that accounted for three ...

Children with ADHD

I. Topic             The topic for this term paper focuses on Children with ADHD, the topic is being chosen due to the fact that there are several cases of ADHD indication in children such as in the United States and almost everywhere recognized and unrecognized by such community as well as social support groups that go together in providing awareness programs to those affected parties such as the school as well as well as family environment and also those involved in health care services. I wanted to realize and learn a lot from ADHD cases affecting the children and knowing and assessing how such individual and groups provide different therapeutic modalities as can be reflected through cognitive therapy and psychotherapeutic treatments with useful and relevant explanations and discussions regarding certain medications use for children with ADHD, is it effectively manifested or not?             Thus, there allows students like myself, to have better concern of the community, being a citizen-driven individual who has a heart for such issues and problems visible within the cycle of his/her own milieu set-up. However, the goal of being motivated to truly take part and be serious in every endeavors and decisions made to be a strong advocate in such health as well as social campaigns in fighting against abuses and misconceptions about prevalence and incidence of ADHD in children. Then, as much as possible offer supporting interventions to reduce such serious cases and help children cope up with problems and for the parents to keep involve and not lose hope in everything that is happening with their child.     II. Research concerning the topic             Ideally, several proponents/writers of ADHD topics mostly, concerning on children may have their different views and opinions regarding children having ADHD but in a way, these proponents share some similarities with regards to their views and beliefs incurring ADHD cases in children. Then, in dealing with differences in opinions for quite a general condition can be tough but what is imperative here is to be able for the researcher to arrived at fair and justifiable judgment of such assumptions and theories involved, trying as much as possible any biases of objective as well as subjective judgment and have an equal control over various arguments made by the proponents in achieving a more balanced context of ADHD cases affecting and hitting the children, especially those within the school environment and classroom set up. Aside, the use of relevant references will have to be up to date so that, there may have applications of such recent development of ADHD knowledge to be inculcated and imparted to the students and the general public as a whole. The information below shows any basis for concerns in research signifying ADHD in children.             Accordingly, ‘Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder’ – ADHD, is illustrated by developmentally abnormal levels of sustained attention, impulse control, and excessive activity. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition ( 1994, 2000) defines three subtypes: predominantly inattentive type, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type, and combined type. Thus, predominant therapy for children exhibiting ADHD could be psycho-stimulant medication, primarily methylphenidate (Ritalin) but one survey of physicians, there are only about 88 percent of the children diagnosed as ADHD had received methyphenidate. Although one study shows that there is about 60 percent to 80 percent of school-age children respond to stimulant medications but such side effects are common as some patients taking stimulant medication experience such decreased in their appetite and the difficulty to sleep and others thus, growth velocity can diminish when stimulant medication is used for over a period of time. Ideally, children having ADHD, display difficulties with attention in contrast to normal children of same mental age and sexual preference. ADHD children have maximum difficulties with sustained attention or effort to tasks. Difficulties are most evident in situations requiring the children to sustain attention to repetitive tasks such as in school as ADHD children have difficulty following instructions, make careless errors in school work, fail to reflect upon the consequences of negative behavior and engage in risk-taking. In addition, the understanding places restrictions on types of therapeutic modalities and interventions strategies that will be most efficacious in treating ADHD.               The successful approach to ADHD treatment must normalize the underlying brain abnormalities, while reducing risk factors and strengthening protective factors. Such an approach should enhance resilience, the ability to adapt despite prior or continued exposure to risk factors. Prescription medication rates for ADHD are increasing in usage dramatically in the United States, with certain geographical areas tripling or quadrupling the number of prescriptions written ten years ago. Although increasing medication rates may be related to improved awareness and diagnosis, some professionals have different theories. Some researchers speculate that increasing ADHD prevalence and treatment rates may be related to changes associated with living in the digital age, such as decreased levels of physical activity and less exposure to the natural environment, which is thought to lead to increased amounts of restless and impulsive behavior. Furthermore, according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( 2007) (DSM-IV-TR) that, there were such patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD.               Truly, ‘’children with ADHD may show signs of being inattentive. One could be the, hyperactive children which seem to be constantly in motion as such as they squirm and fidget in their seats and roam around the room meanwhile, impulsive children seem unable to curb their immediate reactions or think before they act. They will often blurt out inappropriate comments, display their emotions without restraint, and act without regard for the later consequences of their conduct. During the year 2002, researchers from NIMH Child Psychiatry Branch had studied 152 boys and girls with ADHD, matched with 139 age- and gender-matched controls without ADHD’’ ( 2007;2002).               Thus, ‘’as group, the ADHD children showed 3-4 percent smaller brain volumes in regions such as the frontal lobes, temporal gray matter, caudate nucleus and cerebellum. The study showed that the ADHD children who were on medication had white matter volume that did not differ from that of controls. Those never-medicated patients had an abnormally small volume of white matter. The white matter consists of fibers that establish long-distance connections between brain regions’’ ( 2007; 2002). Thus, based on the National Institute of Mental Health, there were several studies of treatments for ADHD in evaluating treatment of disorder such as the Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (2007;1999). Then, for children with ADHD, no single treatment is the answer for every child. A child may sometimes have undesirable side effects to medication that would make that particular treatment unacceptable as well as if child with ADHD has anxiety or depression, treatment combining medication and behavioral therapy might be best as every child’s needs and personal history have to be considered well and carefully.   III. Treatment Modalities/Interventions             Several medications can ideally help those children with ADHD as the child can possibly take control over some behavior problems that will possibly caused trouble and conflicts with family members and parents in relationship with the other siblings. Thus, such health professionals can possibly do the counseling needed by the child and his/her family in helping them to develop and acquire such innovative skills, and attitude patterns as well as the ample ways of relating to each other. In individual counseling, the therapist helps children with ADHD learn to feel better about themselves. Thus, some of the social workers involved in the situation can amiably help those children and families as well in order for them to identify and build on their strengths, cope with everyday issues and problems in controlling some of attention and aggression cases and oftentimes only those children with ADHD needs a helping hand and an understanding heart for the needed counseling support.             Thus, psychotherapy works to help people with ADHD to like and accept themselves despite their disorder. It does not address the symptoms or underlying causes of the disorder. In psychotherapy, patients talk with the therapist about upsetting thoughts and feelings, explore self defeating patterns of behavior, and learn alternative ways to handle their emotions. As they talk, the therapist tries to help them understand how they can change or better cope with their disorder. While on the other hand, cognitive/behavioral therapy helps people develop more effective ways to work on immediate issues. Rather than helping the child understand his or her feelings and actions, it helps directly in changing their thinking and coping and thus may lead to changes in behavior. The support might be practical assistance, like help in organizing tasks or schoolwork or dealing with emotionally charged events. Or the support might be in self-monitoring one’s own behavior and giving self-praise or rewards for acting in a desired way such as controlling anger or thinking before acting. Thus, one of research conducted with children with ADHD regarding their medication suggests that most of them believe that medication made improvement in their lives; ability to gain clarity on their disorder has been enhanced by the improvements they experience with medication.             However, since ADHD is disorder that changes over time, it may be helpful to periodically stop the medication and observe the changes. The extent of ADHD problems, the availability of support services, and the likelihood of cooperation from school personnel and parents must be considered in the medication decision. Whether or not to medicate child from an uncooperative family who also desperately needs other resources like, psychotherapy is difficult decision for any doctor. The child’s school may provide mediating role by discussing treatment with the family, arranging for counseling on the school site, as well as administering medication at school. Furthermore, medication for ADHD should be taken according to the doctor’s orders. Parents and school personnel must often take an active role to ensure that children take their medication as prescribed. Few children with ADHD can assume full responsibility for their medication. Treatment compliance is important since the effectiveness of the medication depends on regular administration. If there is any question of unreliability or drug abuse potential in the patient’s home, the medication should be administered at school. Each school has different guidelines, but permission form is usually required for medication administration by school official.             Many children take their medication only on school days with the idea that it is best for them to have a couple of days per week to be medication free. These children might even have drug holiday for the summer and or during holidays in order to let their bodies function without the medication for a period of time. Other children, especially those with extreme symptoms, may take medication every day. The theory of this daily dosing technique is that the child may experience significant benefits from the calming influence of medication. Positive experiences with family and friends can have long-lasting beneficial effect that exceeds the concerns of taking medication daily. Closely evaluating medication effects is an essential part of treatment. Parents, teachers and the child, have a role to play in identifying whether or not the medication is effective in reducing ADHD symptoms.   Psychotherapeutic Treatment             As with treating ADHD in children, the combination of medication and other psychotherapeutic strategies produces the most positive outcome. One of the first priorities is to help newly diagnosed individuals understand and accept their disorder. Adults with ADHD have lived for many years with their symptoms, and have likely developed combination of helpful and not-so-helpful coping strategies to deal with their disorder. Negative coping skills may have become so deeply ingrained that they are seemingly automatic patterns of behavior and thinking. Therapeutic goals then include symptom management, as well as increasing coping behaviors that are healthy and decreasing behaviors that are not. Relaxation training, anger management and stress management skills can also be incorporated into therapy sessions. Group therapy can often be extremely helpful for addressing interpersonal skills deficits. Group treatment can provide support and reassurance that the individual is not alone in coping with the challenges of ADHD, as well as offering new ideas for dealing with symptoms. The group then also provides more safe environment in which to learn and practice new interpersonal behaviors, obtain recognition for improvements, and an opportunity to help others who are struggling with similar issues. Cognitive Behavior Therapy             Cognitive behavioral workers assist children identify the symptoms created by their disorder, as well as the specific thoughts and behaviors that interfere with school, family and peer functioning. The theory behind is that changing thoughts can lead to changes in mood and behavior. Once the target behaviors have been identified, the therapist will help the child develop a series of connected thoughts to begin using when problem situations arise. These scripts are usually accompanied by specific behaviors that gradually replace the problem ones. Once skilled in the use of these scripts, child with ADHD can demonstrate increasing behavioral control and have choices instead of showing only impulsive automatic responses to environmental events. Then, the cognitive therapist will help the child identify individual thinking patterns and tendencies and once identified, these individual thoughts and cognitive processes can be examined and evaluated for accuracy and helpfulness. If these tendencies seem to contribute to the identified problems, they will become a focal point of therapy. Therefore, the therapeutic goals evolve as one goal is met and others are identified as the areas of treatment focus include the development of skills in: -          Understanding and accepting the diagnosis of ADHD -          An honest appraisal of one’s own strengths and weaknesses -          Setting up realistic, attainable goals -          Planning and strategizing skills, including how to prioritize goals and behaviors                       Cognitive therapy group programs are somewhat similar to social skills training classes. Social skills training focuses on the development of an awareness of the impact of ADHD behaviors on others and the self-management skills needed to limit associated disruptions. Cognitive therapy also pursues the development of awareness of disruptive behaviors and ADHD symptoms, but focuses on self-awareness rather than environmental awareness. Guided by cognitive behavioral theory, specific self-management skills, such as self-soothing behaviors and positive self-talk techniques, are taught. Cognitive behavioral therapy groups can be quite beneficial to children with ADHD. Not only is the associated cost less than that of individual therapy, but the child has an opportunity to interact with other children who have similar types of challenges. The group therapy environment provides a structured setting in which children can discuss their unique feelings and situations, develop an understanding of the feelings of others and realize that they are not the only ones who face challenges. The development of a sense of belonging to a group, in a structured, safe environment, can be particularly helpful to ADHD children. Another benefit is the opportunity to practice newly evolving social skills in the safe environment of a therapeutic group. Although children with ADHD do care about other people, they are simply unaware of the need to consider the perspective of others. Thus, certain social skills training classes are designed to improve peer relationships, and teach interpersonal interaction skills that facilitate success in the classroom or at home. These classes differ from individual or group therapy in that the focus is primarily on interpersonal interactions rather than managing emotions or personal change.   Treatment Options for ADHD Individual therapy             Although the management of ADHD primarily targets the alleviation of children’s problems in the classroom and at home, a child’s difficulties often range well beyond these two settings. In fact, poor self-esteem and difficulty with peer relationships can cause even greater emotional pain for the child. While medication, environmental changes and educational interventions address the core symptoms of ADHD, they are not always sufficient to alleviate the damage done to the child’s internal sense of mastery and competence. Moreover, individual therapy can address children’s unique response to the problems created by ADHD in their life, and focus on related emotional issues. Although such topics can be addressed in a group setting, depending on the child, a group might not be the best entry point into therapy. Even though individual work is more time consuming and costly, it is often highly beneficial. The first thing to consider when looking for an individual therapist for a child with ADHD is whether or not the therapist has experience with this population. Both children and the disorder itself present unique therapeutic challenges, so it is best to work with a specialist who is knowledgeable about children with ADHD. Next, consider the therapeutic orientation of the therapist. Given the physiological origins of the disorder and the subsequent disruptive behavior problems, problem-focused approaches are more likely to be helpful. A therapist trained in cognitive behavioral techniques will have the therapeutic tools most likely to be helpful to an child with ADHD.   Environmental behavior modification             There can be other options for treatment, such as techniques involving environmental behavior modification in lieu to changing the environment to reinforce desirable behaviors while punishing undesirable behaviors. These techniques can be used at home or in school settings. Reinforcements or rewards must be considered positive by the child in order to be effective. Token reward systems, behavioral system that provides tokens as a reinforcer for desirable behavior that can be exchanged for desired goods, can be an effective technique with children. Children with ADHD require clear structure and incentives in order to focus on behavioral change. In addition, such type of plan should be presented as loving, positive, and focused approach rather than way to caught up the child misbehaving. General behavioral modification principles that have proven effective with ADHD can include the following points: -          Establishing of precise rules and behavior expectations -          Writing of applicable contracts for specific behavior changes -          Establishment of useful routines -          Allowing such usual consequences to occur -          Providing better opportunities for liberation -          Reinforcement within the desired behaviors -          Utilizing the value of shaping to teach such desired behavior such as rewarding the child for getting close to some of the desired behavior -          Teach organizational skills for assisting children in organizing better study materials and ample responses             There can also be the use of pharmacological intervention as found effective, although not without problems due to side effects and parent-training methods were found to be effective in the home setting, but minimal information has been collected on generalization to school setting. Thus, children with ADHD demonstrate an inability to modulate their behavior in response to different situational demands ( 1998). Thus, children with ADHD can be described as careless, disorganized, carefree, and non-reflective, even as preschoolers. In addition, they have trouble remaining in their seats and are often physically and verbally abusive to peers and teachers (1990;  1991), thus, probably denying children the opportunity to practice academic skills, develop valuable social skills, and become acclimated to the structure of school and then failed to develop skills necessary for learning in school situation. Moreover, some professionals contend that children with ADHD should be treated with combination of interventions that includes stimulant medication along with behavior management in the home and at school ( 1998; 1994). Although some professionals are hesitant to medicate children with ADHD and instead recommend behavior management and parent training, we were able to find only one published study that examined the effects of a multi-component intervention package on young children with ADHD.   IV. Summary             Generally, social workers play a vital role in providing the needed support and care as well as enough understanding to those children with ADHD as such proponents only provide relevant concepts and ideas with regards to such useful medications and or treatment interventions for ADHD cases but possibly never did try to investigate further about its assumptions to children and further outcomes of such and or unfortunately some professionals was not able to execute them for research evidences and future studies. Then, the role of social workers take place and bound to happen as they function efficiently to the situation mostly those that are inclined with home evaluation and treatment set up, for instance, they are the ones executing the proper actions to be taken for the children with ADHD and giving parents and families of the affected appropriate support programs and activities that can be best alternative weapon for preventing serious indications of ADHD cases in children. I do believe and think that social workers inclusion is important in helping to shape my desired identity being a social worker in a way that I learned so many valuable things to continuously improve my choice of craft and be passionately into services that caters to humanitarian perspectives. Thus, the fact that children with ADHD experience myriad of chronic behavioral and academic difficulties further necessitates an expanded focus on community-based and collaborative treatment-outcome research with this population. Social workers and practitioners should combine components of previously reviewed studies and tailor each intervention to match the environment of the classroom and the needs of the child.               It is that behavior management for children with ADHD should be an important research priority, given the dearth of current studies. Future studies should focus on developing effective interventions through functional analysis of the child’s behavior and environment. Furthermore, investigations should be conducted across the preschool and home environments, with outcome data supplied from both settings respectively. Amicably yes, I do see myself making contribution to this area and also I feel that we as social workers should advocate more for children with ADHD by looking and assessing such types of medications that are given to those children with ADHD indicating crucial points that, not all children needs to require the process of medication that can be possible if observed that a child is doing bad in school due his/her behavior the teacher should immediately send these children to the child study team for ample evaluation if the child is prone to ADHD or not and if the child needs medication or just a simple guidance of the behavior showed.               CI Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Children with ADHD

I. Topic The topic for this term paper focuses on Children with ADHD, the topic is being chosen due to the fact that ther...

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say               ADHD or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the many psychological and behavioral disorders in children and in adults in today’s society. However, this type of psychological or behavior disorder is most often observed and diagnosed in children. ADHD is a developmental disorder of self-control, and consists of problems with attention span, impulse control, and activity level. This disorder is evident in a child, as he or she reflects an impairment or capacity to control his or her own behavior relative to the passage of time, such as in keeping future goals and consequences in mind (2000). In addition, a child with this type of psychological disorder certainly has problems paying attention and staying on tasks, yet their inattentive behavior is often mysterious, puzzling, or baffling to parents, teachers, and even clinicians working with them (2006). A lot of studies have already been conducted in relation to understanding this type of psychological disorder in children, and because of this, this essay aims to discuss the significant findings, conclusions and procedure mentioned in a latest study in relation ADHD.             According to the article, “ADHD Kids’ Brain Areas Develop Slower” written in November 2007, the brain of the kids suffering from the psychological disorder ADHD develops slower compared to other children without the disorder. Researchers, led by Dr.  of the National Institute of Mental Health reported the findings in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They have come up with their findings through using brain-imaging research. Within the past two decades, human brain imaging techniques have revolutionized the field of psychiatric and neurological research, allowing us to visualize both the structure and the function of living human brains (2005). Through its use, the brains of children with ADHD, and other psychological disorders for that matter would be thoroughly examined. It has been reported that the ADHD brain is distinctly different from the brains of those who do not have the disorder. Various brain imaging techniques, such as computerized tomography (CT), positron-emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) allow one to see how brain function and structure is altered in ADHD (2005). The findings of the recent study indicate and suggest that through the brain-imaging research, the brains of children or youngsters having ADHD, show lags, which can be as much as three years. Such lags feature delay in the development of its certain areas, including the suppression of inappropriate actions and thoughts, focusing attention, remembering events, working for reward, and controlling movement. In addition, findings of the research using the brain-imaging research and brain scans indicate that the cortex of children suffering from ADHD and children who are free from it varies in thickness. It has been reported that brain scans were compared at 40,000 points in the brains of 223 children with ADHD and 223 others who were developing in a normal way. Brain scans were repeated several times at three-year intervals. Results of the brain scans indicate that in both groups, the back and top sides of the brain, which are associated with sensory processing and motor control developed in earlier stages, while the front of the brain, which is associated with higher-order executive control developed in much later years. This shows that brain development in children with ADHD is delayed in higher-order functions and in areas coordinating such functions to the motor areas. Because the more advanced development in the brain areas of children with ADHD include the top and back of the brain, which are related to the motor and sensory functions, this explains the hyperactivity and elation being observed among children having this type of psychological disorder. Previous study of the disorder using brain-imaging studies focused on the size of the lobes of the brain, which somehow disregarded the developmental lag of the brains of the children. The findings of the researchers are being supported by  and  (2005), as they suggest that results on both men and women show similar areas of the brain are involved, wherein in persons with ADHD, the prefrontal cortex is affected, being one’s key to the capacity to inhibit unwanted impulses and thoughts. In this regard, when the brain of a child with ADHD tries to concentrate, the activity of the prefrontal cortex in the right hemisphere decreases, thus, showing the opposite of what happens in the non-ADHD brain (2005). In this sense, the findings of the researchers in the article is consistent with the other findings of other authors, who have also used brain-imaging and scanning in order to diagnose children with this type of psychological disorder.             Based on the findings, the researchers have also come up with a significant conclusion. The researchers have concluded that brain imaging is not entirely a successful tool in determining ADHD among children. Although its use can determine the delay in cortex development among children, such observation could only be detected using a very large number of participants. In this regard, the use of brain-imaging techniques would not be effective if only one participant would be studied and used in experiments. In addition, the diagnosis that a child has ADHD does not involve single brain-imaging examinations, but a series of them. Diagnosis also involves taking a history of the child from his or her family and teachers. In this sense, the diagnosis and study of a child suspected to have this type of psychological disorder involves a tedious and time-consuming task. The essence of the long wait and examination is that one has to be able to study the parts of the brain that are significant in the development of the disorder of the child, such as the front and side of the brain, which are associated with higher-order functions. In this regard, this study serves to be an important milestone for the study of ADHD, most especially in the diagnosis and treatment of children with this type of psychological disorder.   Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say ADHD or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the ...

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERSENSITIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

This is a news analysis made from the statistical procedures used, findings and conclusions found from the newspaper report regarding the level of brain maturity in cases of a child with ADHD. This study uses quantitative research as a statistical procedure along with the use of comparison and contrast in previous studies done. Findings and conclusions gathered in this study are also further explained with regards to their appropriateness. According to an advanced high-precision imaging study by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), key brain areas of kids with Attention Deficit Hypersensitivity Disorder (ADHD) develops more slowly than youngsters. Previous brain imaging studies failed to detect the developmental lag because they focused on the size of the relatively large lobes of the brain. The sharp differences emerged only after a new image analysis technique allowed the researchers to pinpoint the thickening and thinning of thousands of cortex sites in hundreds of children and teens, with and without the disorder. Instead of just focusing on the four lobes of the brain, this study viewed at least 40,000 of the cortex sites, to give a more detailed view of the focal and regional areas where marked developmental delay is most likely to happen (, 2007). In many instances, ADHD and other problems with hyperactivity are not diagnosed until a child enters kindergarten or elementary school, around the age of five or six, in other cases, it is often misdiagnosed as a conduct disorder or other associated pervasive childhood disorders. ADHD is classified as Axis-I  General Mental Disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR), (, 1994) wherein the ADHD child must show some of the defining symptoms of ADHD before the age of seven. The symptoms may be of the different etiology such as biological, environmental, genetics etc., nevertheless, brain scans result remains relatively the same. In the said research led by Dr.  of NIMH, where researchers scanned most of the 446 participants – ranging from preschoolers (aged 4-6 years old) to young adults (aged 21-25 years old) – at least twice at about three-year intervals. It reveals that the brain of a child with ADHD matures a few years late but still follow the same pattern of development. The developmental lag can be as short as three years or as long as five years, most of which happens in the cortex area of the brain. Based from the findings using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which they focused on the age when cortex thickening during childhood gives way to thinning following puberty, as unused neural connections are pruned for optimal efficiency during the teen years. These frontal areas support the ability to suppress inappropriate actions and thoughts, focus attention, remember things from moment to moment, work for reward, and control movement – functions often disturbed in people with ADHD. It is necessary to point out these factors as the frontal lobe is the seat of cognitive maturity. Delayed development in the frontal area is correlated with the different symptoms exhibited by a child with ADHD, such classic manifestations like: hyperactivity, impulsitivity and inattentiveness. Several symptoms also associated with delayed frontal lobe maturation are attention-demanding behavior, school difficulties, learning disorders, resistant behavior, oppositional, domineering behavior, difficulty in coordination and emotional disorders, although this symptoms may/may not be present at all in a child with ADHD. The results of this study is synonymous with the results of MRI study done last June, 2006 wherein NIMH intramural researchers found that parts of the brain’s outer layer that controls attention is thinner in youth with ADHD and remains thin in those with less improvement, perhaps contributing to their impaired recovery. However, in teens that showed improvement, the cortex thickened on the right side, suggesting how brains changes may help explain improvements in coping with ADHD, report Drs.  and , , and . The  2007 research study that uses scans to measure the cortex thickness at 40,000 points in the brains of 223 children with ADHD and 223 others who were developing in a typical way, also revealed thickness in sensory and motor areas. Sensory and motor areas are also part of the cerebellum or the cortex. The sensory area is for sensory integration and interpretation while the motor area is responsible for voluntary movements. The findings indicate that sensory and motor areas appeared to be relatively thick in childhood, due to the delay of the frontal cortex, coordination in the motor area is affected as well. However, the motor cortex in the ADHD patients was seen to mature faster than normal, suggesting that both slower development of behavioral control and advanced motor development might both be required for the restlessness and fidgetiness that characterize an ADHD diagnosis. Aside from the delay, both groups showed a similar back-to-front development of brain maturation with different areas peaking in thickness at different times. This contrast with the pattern of development seen in other disorders such as autism, where the peak of cortical thickening occurs much earlier than normal. These results could give the families of those with ADHD an assurance that their children could still have a normal upbringing despite some delays, it could also help them to adapt different coping mechanisms, and it would also make the parents more understanding, knowledgeable and sympathetic of their children’s condition. In addition in the said research where Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been used as a medium of the study, Dr.  said that, MRI brain scans are still an experimental research tool and cannot yet be used to diagnose or predict outcomes for individuals with ADHD (, 2006). Despite the promising and rather a more accurate results, usage of MRI for diagnosing ADHD is still in infancy, methods of screening neuropsychological disorders such as ADHD is still limited to some more practical and inexpensive methods such as Children’s Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR) where a number of criteria are listed to diagnose ADHD, most of which are the presenting symptoms of the disorder. These methods may not be as advanced as MRI nor other brain imaging techniques such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan), but it is proven effective in ADHD screening as well. The findings and conclusions gathered and compiled in this study can be said as a big leap in better understanding of the Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), brain imaging techniques shows a much more detailed view to further explain the symptoms underlying the disorder. The research did not only focus in the physical changes that the brain undergoes but also with their corresponding behavioral changes. It also highlights how an alteration in the brains physical shape can affect the developmental milestone of the child and how an alteration in a certain part of the brain can be related to an improved condition of the client. However, the quantitative method used in this research does not center on children alone, it also used young adults as a tool, making the study broader in terms of scope and results may vary because of the usage of two different age groups. This gives us a view that ADHD does not stop when a child grows or hits puberty, it is still present, but behavioral differences and brain changes may or may not be seen. The findings and conclusions generated from the research could also served as a tool in giving the ADHD child proper education and for teachers to adopt a more suitable method of teaching an ADHD child based on the developmental milestones and delays that would be encountered. Furthermore, the research done could serve as a comparison tool for future researchers who want to undertake the same study.               References: Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERSENSITIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

This is a news analysis made from the statistical procedures used, findings and conclusions found from the newspaper report regarding the...

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say               ADHD or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the many psychological and behavioral disorders in children and in adults in today’s society. However, this type of psychological or behavior disorder is most often observed and diagnosed in children. ADHD is a developmental disorder of self-control, and consists of problems with attention span, impulse control, and activity level. This disorder is evident in a child, as he or she reflects an impairment or capacity to control his or her own behavior relative to the passage of time, such as in keeping future goals and consequences in mind (2000). In addition, a child with this type of psychological disorder certainly has problems paying attention and staying on tasks, yet their inattentive behavior is often mysterious, puzzling, or baffling to parents, teachers, and even clinicians working with them (2006). A lot of studies have already been conducted in relation to understanding this type of psychological disorder in children, and because of this, this essay aims to discuss the significant findings, conclusions and procedure mentioned in a latest study in relation ADHD.             According to the article, “ADHD Kids’ Brain Areas Develop Slower” written in November 2007, the brain of the kids suffering from the psychological disorder ADHD develops slower compared to other children without the disorder. Researchers, led by Dr.  of the National Institute of Mental Health reported the findings in the online edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. They have come up with their findings through using brain-imaging research. Within the past two decades, human brain imaging techniques have revolutionized the field of psychiatric and neurological research, allowing us to visualize both the structure and the function of living human brains (2005). Through its use, the brains of children with ADHD, and other psychological disorders for that matter would be thoroughly examined. It has been reported that the ADHD brain is distinctly different from the brains of those who do not have the disorder. Various brain imaging techniques, such as computerized tomography (CT), positron-emission tomography (PET), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (SPECT) allow one to see how brain function and structure is altered in ADHD ( 2005). The findings of the recent study indicate and suggest that through the brain-imaging research, the brains of children or youngsters having ADHD, show lags, which can be as much as three years. Such lags feature delay in the development of its certain areas, including the suppression of inappropriate actions and thoughts, focusing attention, remembering events, working for reward, and controlling movement. In addition, findings of the research using the brain-imaging research and brain scans indicate that the cortex of children suffering from ADHD and children who are free from it varies in thickness. It has been reported that brain scans were compared at 40,000 points in the brains of 223 children with ADHD and 223 others who were developing in a normal way. Brain scans were repeated several times at three-year intervals. Results of the brain scans indicate that in both groups, the back and top sides of the brain, which are associated with sensory processing and motor control developed in earlier stages, while the front of the brain, which is associated with higher-order executive control developed in much later years. This shows that brain development in children with ADHD is delayed in higher-order functions and in areas coordinating such functions to the motor areas. Because the more advanced development in the brain areas of children with ADHD include the top and back of the brain, which are related to the motor and sensory functions, this explains the hyperactivity and elation being observed among children having this type of psychological disorder. Previous study of the disorder using brain-imaging studies focused on the size of the lobes of the brain, which somehow disregarded the developmental lag of the brains of the children. The findings of the researchers are being supported by  and (2005), as they suggest that results on both men and women show similar areas of the brain are involved, wherein in persons with ADHD, the prefrontal cortex is affected, being one’s key to the capacity to inhibit unwanted impulses and thoughts. In this regard, when the brain of a child with ADHD tries to concentrate, the activity of the prefrontal cortex in the right hemisphere decreases, thus, showing the opposite of what happens in the non-ADHD brain ( 2005). In this sense, the findings of the researchers in the article is consistent with the other findings of other authors, who have also used brain-imaging and scanning in order to diagnose children with this type of psychological disorder.             Based on the findings, the researchers have also come up with a significant conclusion. The researchers have concluded that brain imaging is not entirely a successful tool in determining ADHD among children. Although its use can determine the delay in cortex development among children, such observation could only be detected using a very large number of participants. In this regard, the use of brain-imaging techniques would not be effective if only one participant would be studied and used in experiments. In addition, the diagnosis that a child has ADHD does not involve single brain-imaging examinations, but a series of them. Diagnosis also involves taking a history of the child from his or her family and teachers. In this sense, the diagnosis and study of a child suspected to have this type of psychological disorder involves a tedious and time-consuming task. The essence of the long wait and examination is that one has to be able to study the parts of the brain that are significant in the development of the disorder of the child, such as the front and side of the brain, which are associated with higher-order functions. In this regard, this study serves to be an important milestone for the study of ADHD, most especially in the diagnosis and treatment of children with this type of psychological disorder.                 Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say

Kids with ADHD has Slower Brain Development, Findings Say ADHD or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is one of the ...

ADULT HEALTH NURSING TOPIC (On the coping mechanisms of adult ADHD on the family and on marriage)

ADULT HEALTH NURSING TOPIC (On the coping mechanisms of adult ADHD on the family and on marriage)             Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is a neuropsychiatry condition.  Successful treatment is a combination of behavior and cognitive therapy, medication and skills training.             Adults with attention deficit disorders lack the concentration to attend to ordinary  everyday jobs. They are easily sidetracked by unimportant  sensations  as sound and sight. They spring back from one interest to another interest, from one activity to another activity. They become uninterested and  fed up in an activity very easily. They zone out in the middle of an activity, or even in the middle of a discussion or conversation.  But they also have a tendency to become too engross in an activity that they become unaware of what is going on around them. Most times, they fail to notice or to give importance to details. They are listening deficient, cannot recall conversations very well, and they cannot seem to follow instructions or directions.             The symptoms of ADHD in a person can damage  one’s family, work, and love relationships. Others may find  the person irresponsible and indifferent,  while  the  afflicted person is .unhappy and   tired of being constantly  reminded and nagged for him to shape up.             ADHD afflicted person feels that he is not in command of his life because of constant humiliation, disappointment and dissatisfaction. He is always on the brink of losing self esteem.             Marital relationships  are very vulnerable to and are one of the  principal relationships affected by the effects of ADHD. When an ADHD spouse experiences difficulties in the management of his life, children and marriage pressures and stress-related situations can lead to a huge flare up. Multitasking responsibilities of parents puts so much pressure on an ADHD parent. It usually leads to tempers blowing up, shouting at kids and spouses, and getting extremely aggravated and annoyed. Helping children organize their time and living a structured life is a daunting and monumental task for an ADHD affected parent.  Most problems encountered are financial or money-related problems, neglected engagements, domestic obligations, and   impetuous decisions. However, a non-ADHD spouse can help bring stability and organization to their family life by being the one in control of the situation. He can also appreciate his ADHD partner’s originality and impulsiveness. ADHDs know how to have fun, bringing excitement and vitality to life. He also may have a sense of humor.    Majority, though, feels that life is unfair and feelings of animosity and resentment are high.             Outside of medicine, ADHD people can have power over their symptoms. Regular and energetic exercises  help shed off excess energy  and anger positively. Exercise also quiets the body. They should eat healthy and nutritious foods .Ingestion of sweets and sugary foods should be curbed, if not restricted, to prevent mood swings. Always make sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep nightly to avoid tiredness. Exhaustion makes focusing even more hard.             If possible, every task to be done should be written down. This includes messages, assignments, and ideas. Set a priority level and a deadline for every task and do not procrastinate. This includes keeping engagements and activities with families and friends.               A person with ADHD should work harder to nurture family relationships than non-ADHD.  On the other side, spouses, children, relatives and friends should be more understanding, flexible, and patient.  A person with ADHD and his family should have  realistic expectations, should be positive thinkers, and be self accepting. A spouse should take the time and effort to know more about the issues ADHD brings to the relationship so he will be better coped to deal with life. Accepting that an ADHD family member cannot just turn his disorder at will promotes a stable relationship.             Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com

ADULT HEALTH NURSING TOPIC (On the coping mechanisms of adult ADHD on the family and on marriage)

ADULT HEALTH NURSING TOPIC (On the coping mechanisms of adult ADHD on the family and on marriage) Attention-deficit hypera...