Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 5

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, better known as ADHD, has been a growing health problem for over a decade. It is a behavioral disorder that makes a child become inattentive and hyperactive. Some of the symptoms of this disease are forgetfulness, avoiding mental effort, listening problems, difficulty following directions, and fidgeting. With any considered disease doctors will develop a drug to help the problem. For ADHD the first to come were Ritalin and Dexedrine. With the mass production and sale of these prescription drugs, the number of children diagnosed with ADHD skyrocketed in the classroom. Due to the surge in medication consumption, in 1996 Gene Haislip of the Drug Enforcement Agency had to issue a statement warning that drugs were a “greatly over-prescribed as a panacea for behavior problems.”(Haislip par. 3) Drugs are not the only solution to ADHD and all children with behavioral issues are not candidates for medicinal treatment.
Children with behavioral issues should be placed in an environment of structure and discipline before they are diagnosed with ADHD and administered medication. Since ADHD is a behavioral disorder, start with the behaviors. A parent or guardian would need to ask why my child is acting this way. An expert would suggest taking a hard long look at the structure of your household first. It is said by professionals that to be diagnosed for ADHD “The behaviors in the child must not be linked to stress at home due to a divorce, a move, a change in school, or other significant life event. To avoid a misdiagnosis.” (KidsHealth.org par. 12) When the child has the tantrums and the outbursts, it must be dealt with immediately in the way he or she can understand by taking a way his or her privileges and timeouts. Julian Stuart Habert M.D. agrees with this opinion:
          Parents can use many techniques to modify the behavior of children with ADHD and to guide them. Some of these techniques are: rule making, positive... [continues]

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