ADHD in School Children (Essay Sample)

IMPACT OF ADHD ON A CHILD'S SCHOOLING NAME: REGISTRATION NUMBER: SUBJECT AREA: EDUCATION WRITING LEVEL: UNDERGRADUATE TUTOR: DATE: Impacts of ADHD on a Child’s Schooling Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder that begins in childhood and persists throughout adulthood. It is characterized by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity which impair academic achievement, increase family stress, and hinders the development of social skills. The disorder is caused by brain anatomy and function, genes and heredity, significant head injuries, prematurity, prenatal exposures, and sometimes the toxins in the environment. A lower level of activity in the parts of the brain that control attention and activity level may be associated with ADHD. A child with ADHD has a 1 in 4 chance of having a parent with ADHD as the condition is hereditary. It’s also likely that another close family member, such as a sibling, will also have ADHD. Sometimes, ADHD is diagnosed in a parent at the same time it is diagnosed in the child. Prenatal exposures such as alcohol or nicotine from smoking, increase the risk of developing ADHD. The disorder is described with symptoms as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These behaviors are often exhibited by most children at particular points in their lifespan development. However, children with ADHD struggle with these behaviors resulting in higher severity and more frequent occurrences. In the United States, children being treated for this disorder have highly increased over the past few decades. In 10 years, the diagnosis of ADHD in American children has risen from an average of 6.9% to 9%. It is estimated that one in twenty children is diagnosed with ADHD CITATION Gru18 \l 1033 (Amy & Henry, 2018). About 5.7 million children aged between 6 to 17 years are affected by this disorder. According to a research by Darios, Steven & Michael (2013) on Recent Trends in Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, the Rates of ADHD diagnosis was 2.5% in 2001 and 3.1% in 2010, with a relative increase of 24% in the number of children with ADHD. In the last decade, ADHD diagnosis has reached epidemic proportions in the United States and it is now at 9.4%. The findings suggest that the rate of ADHD diagnosis among children in the health plan notably has been increasing over time. Gender has been considered a significant moderating factor in ADHD research for more than two decades. Males are generally more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than females, with a male to female ratio of approximately 4:1 in community samples CITATION Dar13 \l 1033 (Darios, Steven, & Michael, 2013). Effects on Child’s Schooling Children with ADHD experience more obstacles in their path to success than the average student. The symptoms of ADHD, such as inability to pay attention, difficulty sitting still, and difficulty controlling impulses, can make it hard for children with this diagnosis to do well in school. In most cases, the teachers find it difficult to balance between teaching the average students and those with ADHD. Learners with ADHD have been shown in numerous studies to be at significantly greater risk for poor school performance. On average, children with ADHD receive lower grades than children without ADHD and are at increased risk of failing grades. For example, ADHD youth are roughly three times more likely to be retained a grade, nearly 15 times more likely to receive special education services, and less than half as likely to graduate from high school compared with their peers CITATION Baw15 \l 1033 (Baweja, 2015). In terms of activity limitations, children with ADHD score significantly lower on reading and arithmetic achievement tests than controls. In terms of restrictions in social participation, children with ADHD show increases in repeated grades, use of remedial academic services, and placement in special education classes compared with controls. Children with ADHD are more likely to be expelled, suspended, or repeat a grade compared with controlsCITATION Ire07 \l 1033 (Irene M, MD & Heidi F, 2007). Strategies for Managing ADHD in Child’s Schooling Behavior therapy is an effective treatment for ADHD that can improve a child’s behavior, self-control, and self-esteem. It is most effective in young children when it is delivered by parents. Experts recommend that healthcare providers refer parents of children younger than 12 years old for training in behavior therapy. For children younger than 6 years old, parent training in behavior management should be tried before prescribing ADHD medication. CITATION Kno14 \l 1033 (Knouse, 2014) ADHD cannot be cured, but with education and treatment, the individual with ADHD can be taught to cope with the disorder. A treatment that addresses the presumed organic basis of ADHD is medication. Many children diagnosed with the disorder take medications such as Ritalin, Dexedrine, or Cylert. Sixty nine percent of the children with ADHD are treated with one of these medicationsCITATION Mer01 \l 1033 (Merri, 2001). Most children's medications provide a short-term improvement in characteristic behaviors. However, the treatment has not shown any long-term improvements such as improved academic achievement, social adjustments, or higher-order thinking processes. Many people diagnosed with ADHD have considered medication than behavioral therapy. When the medicine is taken directly, it can help control and manage symptoms and lead to increased productivity in several aspects of the child's life. However, once the medication is stopped, symptoms typically return. ADHD medicines can potentially cause some side effects that may also affect your child's school performance. These side effects include; headaches, difficulty sleeping, irritability/mood swings, appetite loss, jittery feeling...