Should stimulant drugs be used to treat attention deficit disorder (add) in children?
One of the common infantile disorders in the world today is commonly referred to as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children with this disorder tend to be impulsive, less attentive and some may depict hyperactive tendencies, which affect their development in one-way or the other, (Leggett & Hotham, 2011). The hyperactive tendencies occur in more than one social setting. For example, the child may depict excessive talking both in school and at home. In order to address this disorder, psychosocial and medication interventions have been developed and they form the most common forms of treatment used globally to reduce, or clear, Attention Deficit …show more content…
The use of stimulant medication may lead to a loss of appetite for the patients, insomnia, abdominal pains, headache, stress, nervousness, and anxiety. Most children involved in the study experienced one or more side effects to a varying degree, (Martinez-Raga, Knecht, Szerman, & Martinez, 2012). Stimulant medication should be used for extended periods in order to realize the beneficial effects because it works on short-term. The Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms resume once the medication is discontinued. A larger percentage of the children with the disorder show a symptomatic response to these drugs, but some do not benefit from the medication at all, (Martinez-Raga, Knecht, Szerman, & Martinez, …show more content…
The key purpose of this aspect is a lack of adequate supervision which leads to delayed or missed doses. Some patients refuse to take medication, or they honestly forget to take their medication, (Leggett & Hotham, 2011). Sometimes taking the medication may prove to be stigmatizing or uncomfortable, a common scenario being among children when they are expected to take medication in public like in school. Stimulant medication should be prescribed with extra caution especially when the patients suffer from some diseases like epilepsy, depression, and hypertension. In some cases, stimulant medication may prove to be a contraindication for people suffering from certain diseases such as glaucoma, schizophrenia, hyperthyroidism, and cardiac arrhythmias, (Shelleman et.al. 2011).
Little is known about the long-term side effects of stimulant medication with regards to using it to treat children with Attention Deficit Disorder. Short-term side effects can be easily reversed once the medication is discontinued, however not much has been observed about how to reverse long-term side effects such as its impacts on growth, heart rate, manic symptoms, blood pressure, and the occurrence of suicidal
One of the common infantile disorders in the world today is commonly referred to as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children with this disorder tend to be impulsive, less attentive and some may depict hyperactive tendencies, which affect their development in one-way or the other, (Leggett & Hotham, 2011). The hyperactive tendencies occur in more than one social setting. For example, the child may depict excessive talking both in school and at home. In order to address this disorder, psychosocial and medication interventions have been developed and they form the most common forms of treatment used globally to reduce, or clear, Attention Deficit …show more content…
The use of stimulant medication may lead to a loss of appetite for the patients, insomnia, abdominal pains, headache, stress, nervousness, and anxiety. Most children involved in the study experienced one or more side effects to a varying degree, (Martinez-Raga, Knecht, Szerman, & Martinez, 2012). Stimulant medication should be used for extended periods in order to realize the beneficial effects because it works on short-term. The Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms resume once the medication is discontinued. A larger percentage of the children with the disorder show a symptomatic response to these drugs, but some do not benefit from the medication at all, (Martinez-Raga, Knecht, Szerman, & Martinez, …show more content…
The key purpose of this aspect is a lack of adequate supervision which leads to delayed or missed doses. Some patients refuse to take medication, or they honestly forget to take their medication, (Leggett & Hotham, 2011). Sometimes taking the medication may prove to be stigmatizing or uncomfortable, a common scenario being among children when they are expected to take medication in public like in school. Stimulant medication should be prescribed with extra caution especially when the patients suffer from some diseases like epilepsy, depression, and hypertension. In some cases, stimulant medication may prove to be a contraindication for people suffering from certain diseases such as glaucoma, schizophrenia, hyperthyroidism, and cardiac arrhythmias, (Shelleman et.al. 2011).
Little is known about the long-term side effects of stimulant medication with regards to using it to treat children with Attention Deficit Disorder. Short-term side effects can be easily reversed once the medication is discontinued, however not much has been observed about how to reverse long-term side effects such as its impacts on growth, heart rate, manic symptoms, blood pressure, and the occurrence of suicidal