Six million children in the U.S. are on medications for ADHD and a total of nine million with neurobiological psychiatric diagnoses are on one or more psychotropic drugs. Several researchers have stated to suggest this disease is a fraud, that somehow children are being abused by these treatments is really an outrage, because for these kids, to not get treated is really the greatest abuse and neglect (Baugham, 2001).
Dr. Russell A Barkley a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, also an author of “Taking Charge of Adult ADHD” responded to questions that the readers of the book asked. Dr. Barkley was asked is ADHD even a real illness? Dr. Barkleys response was “So while it may seem that every aspect of …show more content…
Barkley says that ADHD certainly exists. Dr. Barkley also states that "no scientific meetings mention any controversies about the disorder, about its validity as a disorder, about the usefulness of using stimulant medications like Ritalin for it. There simply is no controversy. The science speaks for itself. And the science is overwhelming that the answer to these questions is in the affirmative: it's a real disorder; it's valid; and it can be managed, in many cases, by using stimulant medication in combination with other treatments." Max Wiznitizer a pediatric neurologist says that "the goal of the medication is to help kids focus, to reduce their impulsivity, and also to allow them to function adequately in their social environment." Any child that is deprived of the medication to treat this disorder will not be able to live a fulfilled life. A study shows that they will most likely drop out of school and be unsuccessful in their lives. Harold Kopelwicz, the vice chairman of psychiatry at New York University defends ADHD on a regular basis. One of his most dramatic defenses was when he said “to suggest that this is a fraud, that somehow children are being abused by these treatments, is really an outrage, because for these kids, to not get treated is really the greatest abuse and neglect" (Pomeroy, …show more content…
A study known as the Taiwan Study proved that kids diagnosed with ADHD decreased from the youngest to the oldest in their classes. In most cases the child is diagnosed from not meeting a typical expectation in school. However, many young children find it to be a struggle to sit still and pay attention and this is what commonly makes teachers believe their students have ADHD. Many experts say that teachers observations shouldn’t be the only thing that the diagnosis is based off of. The child's doctors should take their observations into account but should make the final decision based off of a medical standpoint. For the child to be properly diagnosed the child should have shown signs of having the symptoms in more than one setting and on more than one occasion. The doctor should also be aware of how the symptoms have developed over time to get a good understanding of the child's literal behavior. Experts have said that the biggest difference between children who suffer from ADHD and children who do not is how their lives are affected by their behavior. They recommend for younger children to go to behavioral therapy
Dr. Russell A Barkley a clinical professor of psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina, also an author of “Taking Charge of Adult ADHD” responded to questions that the readers of the book asked. Dr. Barkley was asked is ADHD even a real illness? Dr. Barkleys response was “So while it may seem that every aspect of …show more content…
Barkley says that ADHD certainly exists. Dr. Barkley also states that "no scientific meetings mention any controversies about the disorder, about its validity as a disorder, about the usefulness of using stimulant medications like Ritalin for it. There simply is no controversy. The science speaks for itself. And the science is overwhelming that the answer to these questions is in the affirmative: it's a real disorder; it's valid; and it can be managed, in many cases, by using stimulant medication in combination with other treatments." Max Wiznitizer a pediatric neurologist says that "the goal of the medication is to help kids focus, to reduce their impulsivity, and also to allow them to function adequately in their social environment." Any child that is deprived of the medication to treat this disorder will not be able to live a fulfilled life. A study shows that they will most likely drop out of school and be unsuccessful in their lives. Harold Kopelwicz, the vice chairman of psychiatry at New York University defends ADHD on a regular basis. One of his most dramatic defenses was when he said “to suggest that this is a fraud, that somehow children are being abused by these treatments, is really an outrage, because for these kids, to not get treated is really the greatest abuse and neglect" (Pomeroy, …show more content…
A study known as the Taiwan Study proved that kids diagnosed with ADHD decreased from the youngest to the oldest in their classes. In most cases the child is diagnosed from not meeting a typical expectation in school. However, many young children find it to be a struggle to sit still and pay attention and this is what commonly makes teachers believe their students have ADHD. Many experts say that teachers observations shouldn’t be the only thing that the diagnosis is based off of. The child's doctors should take their observations into account but should make the final decision based off of a medical standpoint. For the child to be properly diagnosed the child should have shown signs of having the symptoms in more than one setting and on more than one occasion. The doctor should also be aware of how the symptoms have developed over time to get a good understanding of the child's literal behavior. Experts have said that the biggest difference between children who suffer from ADHD and children who do not is how their lives are affected by their behavior. They recommend for younger children to go to behavioral therapy