... . The drugs can lead to addiction, and, in rare cases, psychosis, suicidal thoughts and hallucinations, as well as anxiety, difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite. The Food and Drug Administration warned that some Attention Deficit Disorder medications, including Ritalin, Concerta, and Strattera, may, in rare instances, cause prolonged and sometimes painful erections known as priapism in males of ... carelessness, poor grades in school or impulsive behavior. Since Attention Deficit Disorder has become a so to speak "epidemic," pharmaceutical companies have begun a race to design a bette...

• Word Count: 1510
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... lessons to deal with a disruptive, non-medicated, ADHD student, then the ability to meet standardized expectations of learning for the entire class is compromised. The proponents argue that the drug Ritalin is only helping people reach their full potential without causing significant damage to the body. Many also believe that if the children were left untreated it could cause parents ... daily and potentially harming their body. The doctors that think that ADHD is being overdiagnosed are also worrying that Adderall and Ritalin are being over prescribed. Just like any other drug, Ritalin...

• Word Count: 2469
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... individuals, in some cases they interfere with the academic process harming not only themselves, but the surrounding pupils. The behavioural improvements produced by stimulants include sustained attention, improved impulse control, and reduction of task irrelevant activity, especially in settings demanding restraint of behaviour ( Connor, 2006b; Solanto et al., 2001). By the end of the 1990s, several studies ... among small children and adolescents. Critics of ADHD suggest the diagnosis has been constructed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in order to legitimate the use of d...

• Word Count: 4508
• Approx Pages: 18
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... individuals, in some cases they interfere with the academic process harming not only themselves, but the surrounding pupils. The behavioural improvements produced by stimulants include sustained attention, improved impulse control, and reduction of task irrelevant activity, especially in settings demanding restraint of behaviour ( Connor, 2006b; Solanto et al., 2001). By the end of the 1990s, several studies ... among small children and adolescents. Critics of ADHD suggest the diagnosis has been constructed by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in order to legitimate the use of d...

• Word Count: 4508
• Approx Pages: 18
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... suggest that approximately 56% of youths aged 4 to 17 receive these medications for treatment of their ADHD" (Jardin, Looby, and Earleywine 373). Adderall, a stimulant, acts to primarily control impulses and distractions, but it also has many negative effects, one of which is sluggishness. It significantly increases the level of activity in the user's brain, further enhancing his or ... from the expanded flow of dopamine in the frontal cortex. Psychologists warn that use of Adderall and/or other stimulant based ADHD medications may ultimately result in a dependence on the drug. "Although...

• Word Count: 1172
• Approx Pages: 5
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... all." (Stein 9) Although this information is loud and clear, ADHD is being treated with chemicals as if it were a disease. The Federal Government Control Act of 1988, under Schedule II, classifies cocaine, morphine, opium, and Ritalin under the same category. Ritalin, which is an amphetamine, is being ... Ritalin is more of a dangerous gateway drug than marijuana." (Stein 11) Luckily, if a preschool child is diagnosed with ADHD, the doctor will say no to prescribed medications. This statement alone tells that there is great risk in giving any individual drugs to control his or her learn...

• Word Count: 772
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... developmental changes children experience while being treated with stimulants such as Ritalin. In addition, an animal study on Ritalin has indicated that the drug may have a weak potential to cause cancer. Further studies are needed to be certain of the long term outcomes and effects of ... dizziness, headache, weight loss, and blood pressure changes. Stimulant medications have a very high potential to be abused, making it necessary for the Drug Enforcement Administration to strongly regulate their manufacture, prescription, and distribution. Prescription refills are not even allowed, th...

• Word Count: 1378
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... developmental changes children experience while being treated with stimulants such as Ritalin. In addition, an animal study on Ritalin has indicated that the drug may have a weak potential to cause cancer. Further studies are needed to be certain of the long term outcomes and effects of ... dizziness, headache, weight loss, and blood pressure changes. Stimulant medications have a very high potential to be abused, making it necessary for the Drug Enforcement Administration to strongly regulate their manufacture, prescription, and distribution. Prescription refills are not even allowed, th...

• Word Count: 1361
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... problem of all with Ritalin is that it simply controls an undesirable behavior (hyperactivity) by producing a subdued effect in children. Ritalin (or any drug for that matter) does not give children the tools they need to modify or control their own behavior. This is where behavior modification techniques prove to be a more sensible and effective solution to ADHD, a very complex disorder. Behavior ... of different techniques used by psychologists. Basically behavior modification teaches appropriate behaviors by reinforcing the good behavior and by punishing the undesired behavior. This ...

• Word Count: 801
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... . All the drugs used to treat ADD have the same goal, to provide the brain with the raw materials it needs to concentrate over a sustained period of time, control impulses, and regulate motor activity. The drug or combination of drugs that work best for the patient depends on the individual's brain chemistry and constellation of symptoms. The process of finding the right ... tricky for each individual. The psychologists are not able to accurately predict how any one individual will respond to various doses or types of Attention Deficit Disorder medication. However, the drug of choice for...

• Word Count: 2502
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... . All the drugs used to treat ADD have the same goal, to provide the brain with the raw materials it needs to concentrate over a sustained period of time, control impulses, and regulate motor activity. The drug or combination of drugs that work best for the patient depends on the individual's brain chemistry and constellation of symptoms. The process of finding the right ... tricky for each individual. The psychologists are not able to accurately predict how any one individual will respond to various doses or types of Attention Deficit Disorder medication. However, the drug of choice for...

• Word Count: 2456
• Approx Pages: 10
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... Fitzhugh, author of Crystal Meth and Other Amphetamines, amphetamine, which was first discovered in 1887 by a German chemist, is a synthetic stimulant that works to speed up the brain's activity. The drug effects the prefrontal cortex of the brain and stimulates the body's central nervous system by making the nerve cells in the brain produce large amounts of dopamine. By increasing the ... ADD]" (Cohen 5). Stimulants have been associated with cardiovascular problems, but cardiovascular effects have proven to be minimal in healthy children" (8). Cons It is proven that stimulant drugs eff...

• Word Count: 1198
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... children with ADD are never diagnosed. Boys significantly outnumber girls, though girls are more likely to be undiagnosed with ADD. ADD is not an attention disorder, but a disorder of impulse control. (Pfiffrer 184) Characteristics of Attention Deficit Disorder can include: Fidgeting with hands or feet, difficulty remaining seated, waiting for turns in games, following through on instructions, and shifting from one ... hypertension. All the drugs used to treat ADD have the same goal: to provide the brain with the raw materials it needs to concentrate over a sustained period of time, con...

• Word Count: 1428
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... symptoms. There is not, at present, a known cure for ADHD. Current treatment for the disorder falls into three main categories. These are drug therapy, counselling programmes and supportive services at home, in school and in the community. Stimulant medication such as Dexedrine, Dextrostat and Rilatin are seen ... report huge benefits. A study by Swanson, McBurnett, Christian and Wigal in 1995 reported that "Stimulants produce dramatic increases in sustained attention, impulse control and persistence of work effort, and decreases in task-relevant activity and noisy disruptive behaviour"...

• Word Count: 1928
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... properly ADHD medications such as Ritalin can be very helpful to children who have this disorder, but far too many parents and doctors are too quick to prescribe medications to control behavior. We owe it to children to try to find another way first before a prescription is written up.   Are ADHD Medications Overprescribed? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) ... diagnosis has become highly controversial in recent years, with much of the controversy focused around the increasing use of the drug methylphenidate hydrochloride, an amphetamine, more popularly known by its trad...

• Word Count: 946
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... other days when these children appear normal, apparently unaffected by this disorder. This can pose a problem for the affected children as it leads others to think that ADHD children can control their behavior at all times without medication. ADHD is not discriminating. Faced with constant confusion and commotion in their lives, these affected children are from many diverse backgrounds. Ethnicity and ... improve physical coordination, such as handwriting and ability in sports. The behavioral conduct of getting along with other children without the frustration towards themselves. The neg...

• Word Count: 1608
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... irritated, angry, scared teen. For a small percentage of teens these normal emotions become, debilating and require professional care. The teen may become suicidal when depressed and out of control when manic. Eventually, a diagnosis of emotional disturbance, such as major depression or bipolar disorder. May be made and a combination of medicine and therapy instituded. Some emotionally disturbed ... Low or bad physical fitness levels, Highly reduced maximal oxygen uptake, Negative body attitude, Negative perception of physical skills, Negative feelings of general competence, Low self-est...

• Word Count: 3086
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... that medication that gets to the core of the problem would be effective." Stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medication, especially methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is more commonly know as the drug Ritalin. Other medications that are commonly prescribed include: Concerta, Metadate, Dexedrine, Cylert, and Adderall, an amphetamine compound. These medications are believed to work by stimulating the action ... brain's systems working more efficiently, attention, memory, and inhibition, are improved. The result is better concentration, increased working memory capacity, greater recal...

• Word Count: 2207
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... who always interrupted when someone was talking? Do you remember how your teacher handled it? For years, children have been accused of being hyperactive and sometimes annoying or out of control in the classroom. Often times, teachers have a huge task of settling the problem child and dealing with the culprits; consequently, they have trouble completing their primary job of teaching. Extreme ... inattention and procrastination with mood swings. Elisa's treatment is to take the highest dosage possible of Ritalin*, which is 20mg, three times per day. Elisa talks very highly of the drug and...

• Word Count: 1913
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... (McEwan E. 1997) Studies indicate that in some children with ADHD, this anatomical traffic cop is smaller than what is considered normal. This size difference may affect the corpus callosum's control over how signals reach the thinking part of the brain. Many medications are used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and related problems. Among them are Ritalin, Dexedrine, Cylert, Adderall ... impossible. Adderall, another stimulant medication, is a derivative of Dexedrine but it combines four different salts and has a slightly altered chemical structure. Adderall originally ...

• Word Count: 1801
• Approx Pages: 7
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... levels, and on whether or not a person is highly motivated or bored easily. The reticular activating system is the center of balance for the other systems involved in learning, self-control, inhibition and motivation. If the reticular activating system does not excite the neurons of the cortex enough, we see the results of an under-aroused cortex. These results include difficulty ... learning, poor memory, and little self-control. If the reticular activating system fails to activate the cortex altogether there would be a lack of consciousness or a coma. If the reticular activating syste...

• Word Count: 2295
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... that medication that gets to the core of the problem would be effective." Stimulants are the most commonly prescribed medication, especially methylphenidate. Methylphenidate is more commonly know as the drug Ritalin. Other medications that are commonly prescribed include: Concerta, Metadate, Dexedrine, Cylert, and Adderall, an amphetamine compound. These medications are believed to work by stimulating the action ... brain's systems working more efficiently, attention, memory, and inhibition, are improved. The result is better concentration, increased working memory capacity, greater recal...

• Word Count: 2309
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... , was that they were survivors of the encephalitis epidemic in 1917-1918. Numerous papers described children with "post encephalitic behavior disorder" as impaired in attention, regulation of activity, and impulse control. Like Still's patients, these children were also socially disruptive and many had memory problems."(About.com: 2) At this time, the disorder was not recognized as AD/HD, but was known ... can occur. The decrease in height growth is transient and does not change the ultimate adult height. Stimulants, however, do not "cure" AD/HD and symptoms usually re-emerge upon drug d...

• Word Count: 1026
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... have an immediate effect like Ritalin or Dexedrine. It also has a saga attached to its use of reported deaths due to liver failure. Clinical experience shows that the longer the drug acts, the better and the closer it is to producing a normalized attention span, a predictable state of consciousness, and a stable inner core to interact with the environment. In 1937, Charles Bradley ... normal function of these transporters is to provide rapid removal of neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft to permit repetitive synaptic firing (Gainetdinov, 2001). Dopamine has been strongly implicate...

• Word Count: 3913
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• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... of damage to the temporal lobes of brain and the child can have decreased concentration, such as is typified in attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), in addition to decreased impulse control and inability to grasp cause and effect relationships. As the alcohol damages the cerebellum in the brain which is responsible for motor coordination, children with FAS often lack fine motor ... by others due to their innocence and lack of understanding appropriate relationships. Also, those with FAS are liable to be sexually promiscuous or engage in other risky behavior such as drug and al...

• Word Count: 717
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate