by Mandy Donoghue

Created on: January 09, 2009

Children medicated for ADHD may be in danger of short term and life long complications. The side effects associated with ADHD medications vary greatly depending upon the child and studies remain inconclusive about whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks. Studies conducted thus far are primarily funded by the pharmaceutical companies selling the drugs. Alternative treatments are safer and worth trying before resorting to a prescription.

As a teacher I can't help but notice what seems to be an increased number of children being prescribed medication to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Often, I wonder whether or not the administration of medication to developing children will result in adverse long-term effects. I explored whether or not alternatives, such as caffeine, water and music provided positive results similar to effective stimulant medications, when given to children with ADHD. There were many articles available regarding specific prescription drugs used to treat children diagnosed with ADHD, but it was quite difficult locating any statistically significant research supporting alternative options. Maybe that has something to do with who funds the research.

The DSM-IV lists specific criteria that a person must exhibit prior to being clinically diagnosed (Appendix A) with ADHD. However, the word often' is used throughout the DSM-IV guidelines; it's not specifically defined leaving a diagnosis to be subjective. Several authors cited throughout this paper referenced the DSM-IV when talking about the symptoms associated with ADHD (Ernst, et.al., 1999; Identifying and Treating ADHD: A Resource for School and Home, 2003; Lerner, 2003; Raby, 1995; Searight and Burke and Rottnek, 2000; Sylwester and Cho, 1993). Some of the hyperactivity characteristics listed are also similar to those described by Strauss (Lerner, 2003) characterizing the brain-injured child. Once a diagnosis is made, a treatment plan must be devised, but not all methods are equally effective for all children (Assessing complementary and/or controversial interventions, 2004). Some of the treatments suggested include medication, behavior management, or the multimodal approach (a combination of medication and behavior management therapy).

Opinions regarding treatment implementations vary. Stimulant medications, like Ritalin and Adderall, are considered to work well, consistently, and provide short-term quick results (Ballard et.al., 1997; Hall and Gushee, 2002; Identifying

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