Gabrielle Garcia / Staff Writer
gabrielle.garcia@fiusm.com
Recently, an 8-year-old Kentucky third grader with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was allegedly handcuffed by a Sheriff’s Deputy at his elementary school. The deputy, who works as a school resource officer at the school is now facing a lawsuit for handcuffing the boy. The incident, which was recorded on video, has gone viral and has inundated the nation with debate over the disorder.
ADHD, according to The National Institutes of Health Mental Health Office is “one of the most common childhood disorders and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. Symptoms include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior and hyperactivity.”
The NIH Mental Health Office also identifies three subtypes of ADHD: predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, predominantly inattentive and combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive. The NIH Mental health office states that the average age of onset for ADHD is 7 and that the disorder affects nine percent of children from ages 13 to 18 years of age. The disorder however, does not only affect children, the NIH office of mental health states that ADHD also affects 4.1 percent of American Adults ages 18 and over.
Because the causes of ADHD are basically unknown, and because a child’s behavioral habits in early childhood can simulate ADHD symptoms, proper diagnosis for children is difficult. ADHD symptoms tend to appear very early in life, beginning as early as age 3. Because of this, a child’s impulsivity and distractive nature can be mistaken for ADHD symptoms, which often results in misdiagnosis. For adults, diagnosis is also difficult because symptoms may not be as obvious in comparison to those of a child with ADHD.
According to the NIH Mental Health office, various types of psychotherapy, behavioral therapy and education training serve as treatments for ADHD, but the most common form of treatment is medication. Given that many children and adults face ADHD, medication seems to be the “quick and easy” choice to treating the disorder. The NIH explains that a stimulant is often used for treatment because it has a calming effect for hyperactive children – however, there are non-stimulant medications available and are also used for treatment. Although there are many medications with short-acting, long-acting or extended release varieties that assist those with ADHD, these medications can also have negative side effects.
The NIH reports that some of the most common side effects to ADHD medications include loss of appetite, cardiovascular issues, insomnia or other sleeping problems. The Food and Drug Administration also warns the public that both stimulant and non-stimulant medications used to treat ADHD could potentially cause psychiatric problems such as hallucinations, manic episodes, paranoia and even suicidal thoughts, as well as cognitive blunting.
Despite the health issues and side effects that result from ADHD medications, a film documentary titled “The War on Kids” discusses a rather different aspect of the issue. The War on Kids documents events in America’s public school system and critiques several issues, one being the use of ADHD medication. The documentary explains how many children taking medication to treat their ADHD symptoms often appear to be in an extremely focused or sedative state. As a result, many children’s cognitive abilities are limited as a result of being too focused on certain tasks, therefore limiting intellectual creativity.
Stability is an important component to a child’s well being and can often be a challenge with ADHD symptoms. Although medications can help children carry out their daily tasks while muffling their symptoms, there is always a trade off in doing so. Creativity and intellect should be fostered and maintained, not muted. Perhaps with more research, other methods of treatment may be proposed to promote the health and well being of those who struggle with ADHD. Medications have been proven to assist those with ADHD symptoms, but should not be the default decision.
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