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Tiffanie Boggs Eng 025 Mark McLane 1 December, 2010 AD/HD in Children I am a mother of three perfect little girls. My husband and I just found out our middle child has AD/HD, so I decided to find out as much as possible in hopes that I will be able to help her in any way I can. AD/HD has become increasingly diagnosed in young children. There are various symptoms involved with AD/HD that are being misdiagnosed. Also do these children outgrow AD/HD or is it lifelong? Researchers are just beginning to understand this disorder, and therefore discovering numerous approaches that can possibly help these children. Finally, how can parents help our children prepare for everyday life? When people think of AD/HD most think of; a child running around wild, or a parent that jus has no control over their child. AD/HD is not just an excuse for a child to be wild and not listen; it is a disorder that we are just starting to understand. Researchers have recently discovered that there are various symptoms with AD/HD. The three subtypes of AD/HD are Predominantly Inattentive, Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive type, and the Combined type. Each type is diagnosed by a multitude of symptoms, of which they must have twelve or more. To determine whether a child has AD/HD and what type they have, they must go through extensive tests and examinations. Once the testing is completed by a physician the parents,

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teachers, and counselors are asked to complete surveys with their opinions of the child. Then the physician will take everything into consideration before making a decision as to whether or not the child has AD/HD and if so what type. Years ago the consensus was, children would outgrow their AD/HD symptoms as they got older. Now as the years have passed doctors have found that around seventy to eighty percent of these now adults continue to have full blown AD/HD. For the other twenty or so percent of adults, they will no longer have all of the symptoms. Now this twenty percent will still have problems in some areas, and some will not grow out all of their symptoms. In children it is estimated that three to ten percent have AD/HD, and twenty five percent of these children also have the chance to show anti-social behavior as an adult according to (Mehl-Madrona Lewis). As a parent this is an alarming number. Studies have also found that the boy to girl ratio for being predominantly hyperactive is four to one, and two to one for the inattentive type according to (Mersch) In recent years there have been many new strategies on how to treat children with AD/HD. Since there are still many things to learn about this disorder there is no wrong way to treat these children. The most popular treatment is a drug called Ritalin. Like any medication Ritalin has side effects, some of which are not sever, others are very sever including sudden death. As a parent of a child with this disorder I personally do not want my daughter taking this medication. The risks outweigh the rewards. There are many other medications as well, for example; Adderall, Adderall XR, Concerta, Daytrana, Detxroamphetamine, Focalin XR, Methylphenidate, Methylin,

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Metadate CD, Ritalin LA, Ritalin SR, Strattera, Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine). All of these medications have risks that for my daughter are unacceptable. There are also many types of nontraditional ways to treat AD/HD. Some of which are; positive behavior support, including and excluding certain foods, movement therapies, the brain gym, sensory integration therapy and activities. These nontraditional methods are positive for the child, as well as not harmful. For about the last two months we have been using some of these methods with our daughter and it has made an amazing difference. We have taken the time to make changes, and it does take a lot of extra time, but has been well worth it. Doctors are just starting to break the surface on what the underlying cause of AD/HD is. To date they know that it is passed through genes and developmental neurological factors, says (Bedway), but that is all they truly know right now. For example, ten to thirty percent of parents and siblings are affected; also studies have shown that what the mother does while pregnant does not cause AD/HD. There have also been numerous neurological studies that have shown the difference in stress between children with and without AD/HD. Since the start of these studies researchers have been trying to determine ways to lower the stress levels of these children which would ultimately help them with self-control issues. This is why some of the nontraditional methods include meditation, and other mind control exercises. It is very important for the parents of children with AD/HD to not only understand, but also to help their child. It is important for these children to know and understand what is going on with them, also how it is going to affect everyone and

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everything they do now and later. Children with AD/HD need more love and support than the average child. They also need; structure, positive discipline, rewards, encouragement and routines, for they do not handle change very well. If there is going to be a change in their life prepare them ahead of time for they are going to need it. The adults and children in their lives are going to have to be extremely patient with them. There are many other things parents need to consider with these children but the main thing is; parents need to do the research, and learn as much as possible; for it is our job as parents to love, protect, and help our children in any way possible. Children with AD/HD will have a very hard time with school, and there are many ways we can help make it an easier experience for them. Teachers have their hands full as it is with all of the children in their class. By just communicating with their teacher life will become easier for all parties involved. Staying in constant contact with their teacher is so important; parents need to find out how they can help the teacher. It may be small things but at times those small things for a teacher that has fifteen or more students become big things. Parents also need to stay in contact with everyone at the school; the school may also have ideas that could help. Personally I have chosen to communicate with my childs teacher by email, for my busy schedule it seems to be the easiest way to keep track of everything that is going on. Some of the reasons for staying in contact with the schools are as follows according to Beedway, fifty six percent of AD/HD children need tutoring, thirty to forty percent need special education, ten to thirty five percent possibly fail high school, only twenty percent enter college, and of those only five percent graduate. The numbers are daunting.

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Children with AD/HD cannot focus as well as other children. They need to move around and learn in different ways. For example, during story time my daughter listens better when she can lay down on the floor rather than sitting Indian style. She also has an easier time when she is at her desk if she has something she can keep in her hands and move around like a stress ball. Children with AD/HD learn in different ways, so as a parent it is our responsibility to be their advocate. My main concern with the school system was whether or not they would make these children be medicated. I have found many things on the subject but the one that stood out the most was an article I read while doing my research, it states that a school suspended a boy for twenty one days until the due process hearing in which they still stated the boy needed to be medicated. With all of the research I have done I have not found a definite answer as to how it truly works. In my opinion it should be up to the parent and child as to what treatment is used. Medicating children is a huge responsibility and should never be taken lightly. Medication is for parents and their physician to decide, not for a school system to deem appropriate. As a parent of a child with AD/HD I feel very strongly about helping children with AD/HD. It is a disorder that is not fully understood; doctors and researchers are just beginning to break the surface. It is a sad fact that there are parents of children with AD/HD that are so caught up in perfection that the children are left behind said Powers. Understanding what life is like for these children worries me for my daughter. As parents, it is imperative to help our children prepare for their life, because their life is going to be full of road blocks and complications. As the years pass more and more

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children are being diagnosed with this disorder, and we are discovering new insights on what seems to be a day to day basis. It will be many years before doctors fully understand AD/HD and how to help the 5.4 million children who have been diagnosed with it. I am not only scared but worried for my daughter and I know that by just being there for her, loving her unconditionally, and researching everything I possibly can, I am giving her better odds than most children get.