A major problem in the American society is the over-prescription and abuse of narcotic drugs by doctors and patients respectively. The drug Ritalin, which goes by the generic name Methylphenidate, is a central nervous system stimulant that is heavily prescribed in the United States. It is used to combat the effects of attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and narcolepsy. Ritalin is designed to prevent hyperactivity and impulse control, prominent symptoms of ADD and ADHD. It does this by affecting the chemicals in the brain and nerves that cause these types of symptoms (Ritalin: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects & Warnings, 2016). The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies Ritalin as a Schedule
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The principle of Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development is a guide used by most parents and physicians to ensure that there is no delay in a child’s development. Piaget created four stages of development for children as they age. The purpose is to show that children belonging to the same age group develop through stages of sensorimotor (birth through 2 years), preoperational (2 through 7 years), concrete operational (7 through 11 years), and formal operational (12 years and older) in order to successfully progress into adulthood. Because each stage are characterized by abstract level of thoughts and reasonings, according to the article Cognitive Development - Stages, Meaning, Average, “if, by age three, a child has problems understanding simple directions or is perplexed when asked to do something simple, the parents or primary caregiver should consult a physician or pediatrician. The child may have a delay in cognitive development” (Wells 2016). When a child is delayed certain steps of cognitive development, it can lead to problems in the future such as short memory, lack of communication skills, and difficult time understanding basic concepts, which are the fear of most parents. To cope with the frightening reality, caregivers gives children as much Ritalin as possible, sometimes over the limit, to ensure that the children will have no delay in development and for the children not to feel peer pressure from peers in their
The principle of Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development is a guide used by most parents and physicians to ensure that there is no delay in a child’s development. Piaget created four stages of development for children as they age. The purpose is to show that children belonging to the same age group develop through stages of sensorimotor (birth through 2 years), preoperational (2 through 7 years), concrete operational (7 through 11 years), and formal operational (12 years and older) in order to successfully progress into adulthood. Because each stage are characterized by abstract level of thoughts and reasonings, according to the article Cognitive Development - Stages, Meaning, Average, “if, by age three, a child has problems understanding simple directions or is perplexed when asked to do something simple, the parents or primary caregiver should consult a physician or pediatrician. The child may have a delay in cognitive development” (Wells 2016). When a child is delayed certain steps of cognitive development, it can lead to problems in the future such as short memory, lack of communication skills, and difficult time understanding basic concepts, which are the fear of most parents. To cope with the frightening reality, caregivers gives children as much Ritalin as possible, sometimes over the limit, to ensure that the children will have no delay in development and for the children not to feel peer pressure from peers in their