Treatment of Children with ADHD

The problem of ADHD treatment has been brewing for quite long; however, the solutions for preventing the disorder or at least fighting it successfully have been provided comparatively recently. As researches say, for a number of years and even decades, the existence of ADHD as a disorder has been questioned; even nowadays, the debates concerning the controversial nature of ADHD, or ADD, are still continuing. Hence, the problem concerning the treatment methods for ADHD (ADD) stems. According to the existing definition, ADHD (ADD) is a behavioral disorder that can be characterized by listing its five key symptoms, i.e.: impulsivity, inattention, overarousal, difficulty with gratification and emotions and locus of control (Goldstein & Reynolds, 2011, 135).Treatment of Children with ADHD Paper

As it has been mentioned above, the existence of ADHD (ADD) has been proven quite recently; as a matter of fact, even nowadays, ADHD treatment has been referred to as “fraud” by several researchers, such as Baughman (2006). Nevertheless, the existence of ADHD has finally been acknowledged (Lougy, DeRuvo & Rosenthal, 2007, 1), which triggered a number of other issues, such as the treatment options. Because of the lack of sufficient evidence concerning the effects of various treatment methods for ADHD, as well as the recent Ritalin scandal, the idea of treating children with ADHD with the help of stimulant medications gets a very hostile reception from the concerned parents, which prevents from efficient ADHD treatment.Treatment of Children with ADHD Paper

As a result, the opinions concerning the treatment of ADHD are strikingly different. Some people claim that drug treatment of the ADHD children is the only possible option since the disorder has a clear biological origin. As researchers say, drugs work on a cellular level, which allows for more efficient and faster treatment. It is also important that the use of medicine for treating ADHD has a clearly positive effect on children’s cognitive functions. Arnsten (2000) claims that the ADHD syndrome is clearly caused by the dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC): “The right PFC has been shown to be consistently smaller in ADHD patients than in age-matched controls” (Arnsten, 2000, 186).

Therefore, the use of medications should clearly be authorized for children with ADHD, since the disease has clearly biological origin. By treating the problem with the help of a psychological approach, i.e., attempting at changing the child’s behavioral patterns, one will fail to eliminate the reasons for ADHD to have happened and, thus, will risk recidivism. Meanwhile, by using the drugs that have a tangible impact on the brain and, thus, contribute to the process of PFC functions recovery, one can eliminate the root of the problem and, thus, cure ADHD.