Persuasive Essay On Adhd In Children

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is a controversial mental health issue that affects the lives’ of many individuals. Russell Barkley’s research (1997) showed that as many as 3-7% of children display the symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Anywhere from 50-80% of children diagnosed with ADHD continue to experience the disorder into adolescence, furthermore, 30-50% of adolescence with the ADHD diagnosis experience symptoms into adulthood (Barkley, 1997). Also found in the existing literature and research on ADHD, is the existence of a gender difference. Barkey (1997) stated that for every individual girl diagnosed with ADHD, approximately three boys are diagnosed with ADHD. I think that some of the controversy about
Many parents of children who are diagnosed with ADHD may rationalize the way the child is behaving as normal child-like behavior. For example, a parent might say, “he is a 5-year old, you cannot actually expect him to sit still and pay attention for more than 5 minutes, it’s only natural that he tries to horse around.” The DSM has made diagnosing attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in youngsters more specific for this reason. In order to be diagnosed the child must display the symptomatic behavior in more than one setting and the symptoms must be displayed for at least six months. Clinicians should also take into account the developmental level the child should be at compared to the level of development the child is actually displaying. I believe that proper diagnosis of ADHD is very important because it could cause implications for the individual throughout their school and working careers. Teachers, peers, and colleagues may treat an individual diagnosed with ADHD differently if they need special accommodations, so proper diagnosis early is