Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treatments Essay

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Treatments - Essay Example Ritalin, however, is not the most effective way to treat ADD and ADHD. This essay, then, will discuss what Ritalin is, what its side effects are, why it is still being used, and what alternatives parents have to medicating their children. According to www.ritalinsideeffects.net, Ritalin is a Schedule II substance also called methylphenidate. It is not tested in children under the age of six. "In 1998, 26,800 prescriptions were issued for Ritalin. Last year, that figure had grown to 461,000" (Sale, 2008). There is much evidence that many children who take it are simply being over-medicated, since the medication shows no signs of helping them. Some parents, however, don't know what else to do when ADD or ADHD affects their children The side effects of Ritalin are well documented. They include skin rash, fever, anorexia, nausea, increased or decreased blood pressure, chest pain, abdominal pain, irregular heart rhythm, weight loss, anemia, and difficulty sleeping (www.ritalinsideeffects.net, para. 2). Ritalin is also addictive, and easy to abuse (Rasminsky, 2008). Older students admitted that sometimes they take the prescriptions of other people, or more than they are prescribed, to "get loads done in a concentrated period of time" (Rasminsky, 2008). ... She said she only used once, but knows others who "can't stop after that first drug experience or that first A" (Rasminsky, 2008). Another admits, "You feel horrible coming down. All the reasons you're taking drugs are so amplified. It makes you depressed, so that's why you want to do more. It's a vicious cycle" (Rasminsky, 2008). Rasminsky is careful to point out that an electrocardiogram (EKG) is necessary when taking Ritalin because of the negative effect it has on the heart and the likelihood that sudden death could occur from cardiovascular death. Positive Effects There is no doubting that there might be some benefit in Ritalin for some child. A study was done of an 11-year-old boy. He'd been diagnosed with ADHD two years prior by his physician, but not given medication. During the study, he was given 20 mg of Ritalin on some mornings, but not on others. Every day he received a pill that looked exactly the same, so he had no way of know when he received the placebo and when he received the actual medicine. Someone administered the medicine other than the teachers or the observers, so the observations would not be biased. His behavior was monitored for the first four hours of the day. The study lasted three weeks. In the end, the findings showed that the student was much more focused, and well behaved on the days he received the 20 mg dosage of Ritalin (Smith et al.) This is no ace-in the-hole, however. This is one student. This student had an above average I.Q. There is no data to suggest how well Ritalin works on students of average intelligence. The student was only observed for 15 days and plenty of other studies show that Ritalin does seem to be effective in the beginning stages, but the faade quickly