Adhd and Ritalin

ADHD and Ritalin research paper due and don't know how to start it? How about like this?

An ADHD and Ritalin research paper shows that treatment of ADHD by central nervous system stimulants such as Ritalin continues to be the most predominate form of dealing with the disorder. This treatment option has caused considerable controversy in recent years due to the number of prescriptions written. The rise in prescriptions for Ritalin to treat ADHD is directly related to the effectiveness of the medication. To date, studies confirm that it is the most effective method of controlling the symptoms associated with the disorder. The drug treats the chemical imbalance in the brain and allows children to remain calm and to concentrate for longer periods of time.

Ritalin and illegal drugs

Several researchers have investigated the link between the use of Ritalin and illegal drugs. Although some reports link Ritalin with illegal drug use, other studies claim that Ritalin has a "protective effect" against illegal drug use. A meta-analysis of these studies confirms that ADHD adolescents that do not use Ritalin are three times more likely to use illegal drugs than their medically treated counterparts.

There are three types of treatment for ADHD:

• Pharmacological Treatments
• Behavioral interventions
• Counseling
  • Psychotherapy - Coupled with cognitive-behavioral therapy or used independently, psychotherapy helps ADHD patients find more positive ways to channel their emotions. Both types of therapy have the same end and can be most effective.
  • Social skills training - Here, ADHD children are taught patience and, through role-playing, practice appropriate behaviors that are carried over to the classroom, as well as with peers and family.
  • Family Therapy/Support Groups - Working together, families can better- understand ADHD and how to deal with it, as well as to help the child or adolescent channel his behavior in a far less disruptive manner.

One problem is that too often parents take a hyperactive child to their pediatrician, who usually prescribed the drug Ritalin, to see if that minimizes the problem. Other drugs commonly prescribed are Cylert, Dexedrine, and Adderall, all of which are designed to calm the child's behavior and make him more acceptable to teachers, parents, and peers.

Are pediatricians and other medical doctors too quick to prescribe a behavior-calming drug without thoroughly investigating other potential causes of the child's behavioral problems? This might be the case. A study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality showed that, between 1995 and 1999, pediatricians wrote more than half of all prescriptions for ADHD medicines, and family practitioners another 20 percent. Counseling and other non-medicine interventions were usually not part of the doctors' recommendations.

There is a danger here, however. Studies recently completed by the Mayo Clinic demonstrate that the percentage of children who truly have ADHD (7.5 percent) is much smaller than earlier studies showed - up to 20 percent. It is possible, then, that many children were put on Ritalin or another medication they might not have really needed. This suggests, according to the Mayo Clinic researchers, that ADHD is being over-diagnosed and that even greater use of drugs might occur, rather than other treatments, such as counseling and behavior-modification treatments that do not involve drugs.

There is no question that many ADHD children need Ritalin or another medication to control their behavior. Medications are not the entire answer, however, despite their being so heavily prescribed. Here are effective alternatives to Ritalin and other medications for children diagnosed with ADHD

ADHD and Ritalin Today

ADHD is a serious concern for parents, teachers, and the affected child himself. Unfortunately, for too many years pediatricians and other physicians have been too ready to prescribe medications for the alleged ADHD condition. Again, while that is fine for many children, many others can be helped without medical treatment. For some, counseling and other therapies will work. For others, nutritional supplements seem to hold great promise. What is important before any kind of treatment is put in place is that the child be diagnosed unequivocally as to the nature of his or her disorder. There is no question that doctors and other healthcare practitioners must take the time to effect an in-depth diagnosis and only then prescribe a course of treatment action. Otherwise, the child might be misdiagnosed or not receive the most effective treatment possible.