Mental Healthcare for Adolescents and Children (Essay Sample)

Medical Healthcare for Adolescents and Children
Describe the behaviors apparent for each disorder in this scenario (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder.)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a long-term condition with hyperactivity, impulsiveness, and difficulty sustaining attention being its symptoms. ADHD primarily affects children but can persist into adulthood (Burke and Romano-Verthelyi, 2018). Hyperactivity can be described by the condition of being abnormally or highly active. This is evident in the case scenario as Ryan could barely remain in one place for more than one minute or two when he had just started preschool. The most common causes of hyperactivity are stress, certain foods and additives, overstimulation caused by overwhelming sounds and sights, and constant computer stimulation.
On the other hand, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is when a child becomes uncooperative, obstinate to instructions and rules, and with a livid mood. Just as ADHD, ODD often affects children. Its symptoms are argumentative and intransigent behavior, capricious mood, and vindictiveness (Burke and Romano-Verthelyi, 2018). As observed, Ryan was easily upset, was often unhappy, and was reluctant to listen to adults and comply with rules, all of which are symptoms of ODD.
If this behavior becomes worse and Ryan starts to violate the rights of others, what medical diagnosis will be given and why?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is a considerable alternative for the diagnosis of ODD. Diagnosis would often involve a comprehensive psychiatric talk with the parent and the child to find out the cause for the disorder (Faraone and Larsson, 2019). The psychological evaluation must be in-depth because ODD can sometimes be difficult to distinguish from other mental health problems.