Running head: ADHD MED.

FOR CHILDREN

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and its medication for children

Jacqueline Serrano
University of Texas at El Paso

ADHD MED. FOR CHILDREN

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and its medication for children

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder also known as ADHD is a chronic condition
including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Children with ADHD have
reduced motor skills and slightly lower academic rates than those without ADHD (Magistro,
Bardaglio, Rabaglietti, 2015). A child with ADHD will lose focus quickly and not be as
interested in the things as a child without ADHD. The medication given to children with ADHD
helps the child stay focused and behave well with others. Well some individuals may think that
the medication is the only answer, those individuals might not be aware of the side effects and
long term effects of the medication. Antrop and Roeyers also conducted research on children
both with and without ADHD. They studied how the children with ADHD behave on a daily
basis compared to those without the disorder. The researchers observed the children at school for
six weeks. The researchers concluded that the children did behave differently than the children
without the disorder. The children with ADHD would get distracted quickly and not interact well
with the other students. Even though the medication helps the child stay focused, medicine might
not always be the answer, always being medicated can ruin the child or future adults life because
of the side effects, and long term effects, this can be life altering and the childs parents need to
be aware of the consequences.
Side Effects of ADHD Medication
A side effect is any effect of a drug, chemical, or other medicine that is in addition to its
intended effect, especially an effect that is harmful or unpleasant to the patient. The ADHD
medication has many side effects such a loss of appetite, sleep problems, nausea, mood swings,
weight loss, and irritability. Researchers conducted studies on the children who took the ADHD
medication. The researchers asked the patients what side effects they had while on the

ADHD MED. FOR CHILDREN

medication. The analysts concluded that the patients who had side effects had been warned by
the doctor that those side effects might occur (ADHD update, 2006). The researchers also gave
the children questionnaires and asked how the felt while on the medication. The researchers
concluded the mothers worry for their child while taking the medication due to the side effects
and the children prefer to take the medication because they worry on how they will behave
without the medication. The researchers also stated that they believe that the medication has
greater benefits than side effects.
Medication effecting children of different ages.
The ADHD medication affected children differently depending on their age. Harpin who is a
researcher conducted studies on how ADHD medication affected the children of different ages.
The researcher gave the children surveys and questionnaires while on the medication. One
question included how the child felt and if the child was motivated to do anything else other than
stay inside and do nothing. 8 out of 10 children did not want to do something such as go play
outside and things of that nature. 2 out of 10 children actually want to do something else rather
than being in a room doing nothing (Harpin, 2005). After the questionnaire Harpin realized that
each child had a lack of motivation. The medication made the children feel relaxed (Harpin,
2005). Harpin concluded that children of the ages five to seven have a low self-esteem, children
of the ages eight to eleven experienced disruptive behavior, and teenagers of the ages thirteen to
an adult lack of motivation and school exclusion, school exclusion also led to illegal drug use
(2005).
Long term effects. The ADHD medication also had long term effects on the child and
soon to be adult. The long term effects consisted of delayed growth, heart problems, drug use,
and an unstable adult life. The delayed growth is a result from the side effect: loss of appetite

ADHD MED. FOR CHILDREN

(ADHD update, 2006). When a child eats less, they don't get as many nutrients and the child
does not grow as quickly than the average child. The parents of the children with ADHD worry if
giving their child the medication is worth it because they do not want their child to be shorter
than the average. It has been said that ADHD medication causes heart problems for the future
adult (ADHD update, 2006). The researchers of an ADHD update asked the patients what side
effects they had while on the medication and followed up five years later to see if there was any
long term effects (2005). The analysts concluded that patients experienced high blood pressure
and minor heart attacks (ADHD update, 2005). This news was very shocking to the researchers
so they decided to do further research. The analysts concluded that the patients who suffered
high blood pressure and minor heart attacks, already had heart problems before taking the
medication (ADHD update, 2005). A most common long term effect of the ADHD medication is
drug use. Since the person with ADHD is always taking medication, they may get addicted to
that medicated drug because of the everyday use. Exposure to drugs could lead to later casual
illegal drug use (Harpin, 2005). Studies have shown that patients with ADHD become illegal
drug users (Harpin, 2005). Illegal drug use can be a major problem to the future adult because
the adult will get addicted to the drug and not want to stop because they love the feeling the drug
gives them. Actually this feeling of the illegal drug may be the same exact feeling of the ADHD
medication which causes them to become addicted since the person with ADHD may no longer
be taking the medicated drug. Once the child with ADHD reaches maturity or adulthood, they
may have an unstable life. Studies show that the adult with ADHD will not keep a job for more
than a year (Harpin, 2005). The adult with ADHD while taking medication will not find
motivation to do their job (ADHD update, 2006). For example if an adult with ADHD works at
an office while taking medication he or she will not will not find any motivation to do their job,

ADHD MED. FOR CHILDREN

they will just stare at the computer screen like a zombie. So if the adult is not completing the
tasks asked to do then they will not keep their job to do always be distracted. Taking the ADHD
medication can alter the future adults life which includes drug use. No parent wants their child
to be addicted to drugs and not have a stable life, every parent wants their child to succeed in
life.
Solutions. Parents usually give their child the ADHD medication because the child may
be too hyper and the parent does not want to deal with the child. If a parent does not want their
child to suffer the consequences of the ADHD medication then the parent will have to be patient
with the child and help them every single day. The parent will have to work with the child every
day by helping them keep focused and not get distracted as easily. If the child is having trouble at
school the parent might want to put their child in tutoring so the child will not get behind in
school. Sometimes a child with ADHD just has to relax to feel better, so the parents might want
to give their child a massage. The massage will help the child by keeping them relaxing and
focused (Story, Goldman, 2015). As for the adult, they might want to choose a career that is
active. For example the adult can become a coach. If the adult is a coach then they will always be
active and never get distracted. They will keep the children active as long as themselves. Or the
adult with ADHD might want to talk to the person in charge and tell them about the conditions of
ADHD which includes getting distracted easily. The boss might put them in a position that
always has the adult moving and staying busy. If an adult does not want to lose their job due to
their disorder then the adult could talk to their boss about the circumstances of their disorder and
the boss might work with them. Medication may be the easy way out but always being medicated
may cause problems for the child and soon to be adult

ADHD MED. FOR CHILDREN

To conclude, medication is not always the answer. The child might enjoy taking the
medication because the medicine makes them feel normal and like the other children but the
side effects and long term effects are not worth harming the childs and future adults life. No
child deserves to be constantly throwing up. No child deserves to lose nutrients because of loss
of appetite. A child should be healthy and not constantly losing weight because of a medication
that there are drinking. There are other solutions besides medication and those solutions will help
the child in the future. If a child does not take medication then they will live a happier and stable
lifestyle than one who does take medication.

ADHD MED. FOR CHILDREN

7
References

Antrop, I., & Roeyers, H. (2000, February). Stimulation seeking and hyperactivity in children
with ADHD. Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry & Allied Disciplines, 41(2), 225.
Retrieved from EBSCO Host. Web. 21 July 2015.
Harpin, V A. (2005) The effect of ADHD on the life of an individual, their family, and
community from preschool to adult life. Arch Dis Child 90(2), 5-7. Web. 21 July
2015.
Magistro, D., Bardaglio, G., & Rabaglietti, E. (2015, June). Gross motor skills and
academic achievement in typically developing children: The mediating effect of ADHD
related behaviours. , Cognitie, Creier, Comportament/Cognition, Brain, Behavior 19(2),
149-163. Retrieved from EBSCO Host.
McNeal, R. E., Roberts, M. C., & Barone, V. J. (2000). Mothers' and children's perceptions of
medication for children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Child
Psychiatry & Human Development, 30(3), 173-187. Retrieved from EBSCO Host. Web.
20 July 2015.
Story, C. M., & Goldman, R. (2015, February 24). 5 natural remedies for ADHD. In Healthline .
Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/natural-remedies#Overview1
ADHD update: new data on the risks of medication. (2006) Harvard mental health letter 23(4),
3-5. EBSCO Host. Web. 21 July 2015.