Is ADHD a "Real" Disorder?
Is
ADHD a “Real” Disorder?
This
article examines whether or not ADHD is a “real” disorder. It compares the
scientific evidence to the fact most research that has been done, is backed by large
pharmaceutical companies. In the last couple decades, ADHD has become a
prevalent diagnosis in school age children. The number of children being
diagnosed with ADHD has skyrocketed. Quinn and Lynch state, “Globally this
disorder affects 5.3% of children.” (2016)
When
I was in high school, I remember hearing on the news that parents of, D1/Big 10
college athletes were trying to influence psychologist to diagnosis their child
with ADHD. I never understood why a parent would want their child labeled with
ADHD if they didn’t have th disability. As I got older, I understood that if
these college athletes were labeled with a disability, it would provide them
with additional resources, as it pertains to the classroom. This diagnoses
allowed athletes to have additional time on tests and class assignments, they
were provided private tutors, and given study guides to help them pass their
classes. These are just a few of the many accommodations available. Essentially,
parents of these athletes were trying to give their child advantages with their
academics, which would allow them more time to focus on their athletics.
“According
to the American Psychiatric Association, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized
by a persistent pattern of inattention and hyperactivity – impulsivity.” (Quinn
& Lynch, February 2016. P. 59) Some signs of ADHD could be “impairments in
social, academic and occupational functioning” (Quinn & Lynch, February
2016. P. 59) Science has done extensive research on this disability.
Researchers have looked at the genetic makeup of a family, including examining
the brain and conducting neurological studies to better identify ADHD. Although,
this article does not state exact findings as it pertains to genetics and ADHD,
it does report, “Over the past 30 years, numerous family-genetic studies have
reported a high prevalence rate of psychopathology, particularly ADHD, in
parents and other relatives of children with ADHD.” (Quinn & Lynch,
February 2016. P. 61) When examining the neurological function of the brain, researchers
noticed three chemicals “that play a vital role in regulating human behavior” (Quinn
& Lynch, February 2016. P. 61)
Rate
and Hagerman (2008) explain why these particular neurotransmitters are so
important in the case of children with ADHD. First, the neurotransmitter
dopamine is essential for attention, among other things. Second, norepinephrine
affects arousal, alertness, attention and mood. Third, serotonin regulates many
functions, including mood impulsivity, learning and self-esteem. Professionals
maintain that children with ADHD have a deficiency in these neurotransmitter
chemicals. (Quinn & Lynch, February 2016. P 61)
This
article goes on to state “the ADHD label is a salvation for some, allowing them
to avoid feelings of failure as they blame their behavior and related issues on
brain functioning or genetics, rather than accepting personal responsibility
for their problems.” (Quinn & Lynch, February 2016. P. 63) As a teacher, I
have heard this many times from my students who are diagnosed with ADHD. When a
student is acting out in class or unable to focus, I have heard them say, “I cannot
control myself because I have ADHD.” Hearing this breaks my heart. Their
statement tells me two things: (1) someone has told this child, in one way or
another, that there are going to be things in life that they can’t control or
things they won’t be able to do due to their disability (2) this child has not
been taught proper coping techniques in order to make him or her successful.
How can a child take responsibility for his or her actions if they don’t fully
understand what is going on with their body? In addition, if they are not
giving the proper tools needed to succeed?
After
reading this article, I have mixed emotions on this topic. I do think ADHD is over diagnosed. People
want to automatically label a child with a learning disability, instead of teaching
them effective learning strategies. On the other hand, it is hard to denote
concrete scientific evidence. However, I believe these two go hand in hand.
Instead of immediately prescribing the child medication, provide them with
coping techniques, learning strategies and allow all other recourses to be
exhausted before entering into the world of pharmaceutical drugs.
Quinn, M., & Lynch, A. (2016). Is ADHD a
"Real" Disorder?. Support For Learning, 31(1), 59-70.
I agree that ADHD is a real disorder, but may in fact be over diagnosed. Boys are much more likely to be diagnosed than girls are, but is that because boys just generally have more energy so parents of boys are looking for a reason why they are so energetic? It also appears that many parents are quick to medicate. Research does show that medicating children with ADHD can be very effective in lessening symptoms. My concern as a parent would be what does long term medication use do to my child? I am glad I am not in a situation where I have to make that decision, but believe that teaching all children coping skills helps the school environment.
ReplyDeleteI also have mixed emotions on the topic. I also think ADHD is over diagnosed and medication is overly prescribed. I feel that children are being diagnosed at much younger ages now. I also work in a pharmacy and see children as young as 4 years old taking ADHD medication and it is disturbing to me. Why give such a young child medication at such a young age? Can it be that they are just a typical, energetic child going through the stages of development? I couldn't agree more that all other resources should be attempted and exhausted first instead of jumping straight to medications.
ReplyDeleteADHD is a real disorder that has gone through diagnosis abuse. Part of the criteria for being diagnosed is that it should have presented itself before age 7. Many children are just active and may appear to have some symptoms of ADHD but don't have experience in social settings, or get excited easily or haven't had positive parenting to show them how to cope in situations. If the people evaluating aren't trained well enough to see the real signs then perhaps they could diagnose something that could be mistaken for ADHD.
ReplyDeleteInteresting article! I loved that you brought up a past story that you remember about college athletes. Unfortunately, some people see accommodations as "extra help" instead of the fact that for students with ADHD, these accommodations actually just level the playing field. I also cringe when students say things like "They can't control it." I worry that they will never learn the coping strategies they will need to be successful students and adults.
ReplyDeleteGood try on your first citation. I encourage you to check out the Purdue Owl resource on APA. There are specific capitalization rules that you'll need to know (only capitalizing the first word in a title or proper nouns). Great first blog post! You synthesized the facts and also wrestled with the topics.