The Pros And Cons Of ADHD

Children with ADHD are often times labeled as very hyper, lazy, and disruptive to others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 5% of children have been diagnosed with ADHD in the United States. ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, which can result in hyperactivity, impulse controls, and difficulty concentrating. Children with ADHD also feel the need to fidget and constantly move, resulting in frequent outbursts. Whether or not to medicate children who have ADHD is a controversial topic, with many different viewpoints. There are many benefits to using medication, as well as avoiding medication at all costs. However, having a combination of medication and behavioral therapy has a positive impact on

According to Mullet and Rinn (2015), studies of assessment and diagnostic decision-making show that psychologists and physicians often make a diagnosis of ADHD without a comprehensive assessment. Without completing the full assessment, children are being misdiagnosed with having ADHD.
This can lead to children taking medication that is not needed. Another disadvantage of medication is addiction. Since children are most often diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, the ability to become addicted to the medication is applicable. In addition, common medications used to treat ADHD, such as Adderall, could be abused and sold illegally for money. Negative side effects, such as trouble sleeping, loss of appetite, and irritability is common on some medications. Although very rare, the chance for heart and liver problems could

Teaching children with ADHD how to control their actions is a valuable lesson. Behavior therapy uses positive reinforcement to teach children how to act and respond to situations. One idea for children to use is self-reinforcement. According to Reid et al (2005), self-reinforcement has been defined as a process in which a person performs a behavior to satisfy a predetermined performance standard or criteria and then comes in contact with a stimulus that increases the probability of the behavior. This provides the child with feedback through self-assessment and self-recording of whether or not a goal behavior was achieved. This allows a child to be in control of his or her behavior.
Using medication and behavioral therapy have a more positive effect on a child rather than using just one option. When combined, medication and a form of behavior therapy work together to help the neurological aspect and the child's actions. The two together provide a foundation for children with ADHD to