ADHD – Is It A “Real” Medical Disease?

8 Pages 2120 Words

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, is an incredibly multifaceted medical condition that has generated a great deal of controversy. Issues such as, what causes ADHD, how to assess it, is it a real medical disease, and how to deal with it effectively, and whether or not it is over diagnosed are just some of the topics. This essay will deal with some of these issues and argue that yes, this is a real medical disease that can be properly diagnosed and treated.
ADHD is a disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/ impulsivity that occurs at school, home, or social settings and is a condition that becomes apparent in most children in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. Attention problems may include making careless mistakes, failing to complete tasks, problems staying organized, inability to keep track of things, and becoming easily distracted. Hyperactive problems can include unnecessary fidgetiness and squirminess, excessive running or climbing when it is not appropriate, and too much talking. Impulsivity can show up as impatience, difficulty waiting, blurting out answers, and frequent interrupting. Because most children exhibit these behaviors from time to time, it can be difficult to make a distinction between behaviors that reflect ADHD and those that are a normal part of growing up. The difference is that for a child with ADHD these behaviors cause significant impairment in daily functioning. When such impairment is not apparent, and these behaviors only occur occasionally, they are more likely to reflect typical childhood behavior. One typical aspect of ADHD is that a child's symptoms can vary significantly at different times and in different settings. For example, many people ask how a child can have ADHD when that they can easily focus on watching television or playing a video game. Like...