Attention Deficit Disorder Treatment
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Children and adults may need attention deficit disorder treatment programs to help them appropriately cope within a structured school or work environment. The diagnostic terms of "attention deficit disorder" (ADD) and "attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder" (ADHD) are often used interchangeably, however the latter term is the one used in the current diagnostic manual. ADD may indicate someone who is or is not hyperactive and is sometimes referred to as the inattentive type of deficit disorder. ADD and ADHD are controversial because the diagnosis is based on behavior and symptoms rather than on specific physiological conditions. Additionally, many researchers, educators, and parents are concerned about the rising numbers of medications that are being prescribed to children. Researchers report that the number of boys being diagnosed with ADD or ADHD is significantly higher than the number of girls who are diagnosed with the disorder. In more recent years, more adults are being told that they have ADD or ADHD. But this basic question remains in many people's minds: is ADD or ADHD a legitimate medical condition? And if it is, is medication the most appropriate type of attention deficit disorder treatment, especially for young children?
It's a rare prescription medication that doesn't come with a long list of side effects. Researchers, educators, and parents need to ask themselves, on behalf of the children, if the cure is worse than the disease. The long term effects of prescription drug usage aren't really known, but researchers have discovered one disturbing trend: medicated children become adult drug addicts. As unwelcome as this news is, it can hardly be shocking. If children grow up being told by adults that they need a drug to cope with the world around them, then adults can hardly be surprised that these children continue to depend on drugs when they become adults themselves. This is a real, but unintended, consequence of using prescription drugs for attention deficit disorder treatment. Medicated children become medicated adults. Certainly, there are legitimate conditions that require a routine regimen of prescription drugs. But the addiction to drugs and the sheer numbers of children involved feed the controversy over using prescriptions to treat behavior and symptoms. It's sad to realize that a medicated child may no longer exhibit the symptoms that led to an ADD diagnosis, but to know that the child still has the learning disability or underlying behavioral issues indicated by the symptoms.
Some researchers are suggesting that there are other attention deficit disorder treatment plans that may alleviate symptoms without the use of drugs. Nutritionists have released research data that show modern children are actually addicted to sugar and refined flour in numbers much greater than previous generations. Nutritionists and other researchers suspect that excessive sugar and refined flour create physiological problems in developing bodies. Additionally, different food additives are of concern. Many children are known to have allergic reactions to additives that are designed to preserve food or to give food a certain color or look. When a child is having difficulties in school, the parent may want to evaluate the foods that the child is eating. It could be that changing the child's diet helps change the child's behavior. Some researchers also believe that toxic pollutants are at least partially to blame for the increase in ADD/ADHD diagnoses. Here again, a parent can evaluate a child's environment and take steps to protect the child from contaminants. Nutrition and environment are two important aspects of a multi-pronged attention deficit disorder treatment plan.
Jesus once said: "And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea" (Mark 9:42). This is a strong warning to take care of children. Second-guessing a physician's diagnosis isn't necessarily wise, but when a doctor diagnoses a child with ADD/ADHD, the parent has an obligation to become as educated on this topic as possible. Instead of simply agreeing to an attention deficit disorder treatment program that includes prescription drugs, the parent needs to ask a lot of questions and do her own research on the latest findings concerning ADD/ADHD. She also needs to find out as much as possible about the drug that is being prescribed, including all side effects.
Adults sometimes seek attention deficit disorder treatment when they realize that it's difficult for them control their moods or to maintain positive relationships. Perhaps the affected adult showed external symptoms of ADD/ADHD as a child. What researchers have learned is that a maturing child learns coping mechanisms so, as an adult, the symptoms of ADD/ADHD are often internalized and become manifest through emotional difficulties. Impulsive behavior, boredom, and a tendency to procrastinate may be indications of adult ADD/ADHD. Of course, these may also be indications of a lack of maturity. It's important to note that researchers don't equate hormonal imbalances with adult ADD/ADHD. Hormonal imbalances indicate a physiological condition that is often treated with a prescription drug regimen. The medication assists the body to restore balance. An adult needs to be sure that a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD is accurate before beginning an attention deficit disorder treatment. An adult may find that time management training helps with impulsivity and procrastination. The flip side of the negative tendencies is that many people with ADD/ADHD are energetic and creative risk-takers. Affected individuals may want to seek career counseling so that they can find vocations that appropriately channel their creativity and energy. This will help to alleviate boredom.
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