Essay Sample on Children With Attention Deficit Disorder

Introduction

Attention Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an issue that most parents often deal with. It is the inability of an individual to concentrate for long hours or pay attention when they need to (Sali, Anderson, Yantis, Mostofsky & Rosch, 2018). For many parents, a child that shows early signs of ADHD are considered to be obnoxious and simply difficult to deal with. Attention deficit issues can be as simple as not sitting through a class to being unable to focus on chores or even watching television shows at home. Attention deficit is very difficult to detect at first, as most parents are in denial about the issues their children face. As the problem manifests, the child grows into significant attention deficit problems by the time they get to the age of ten. Often, many children with ADHD tend to get better by the time they get to the teenage and adolescent ages. In rare cases does Attention Deficit Disorder extend to adulthood (Sali et al., 2018).

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In as much as Attention Deficit is a mental concern, many parents treat it as a social disorder that can be handled by exposing their children to more activities in their class or school. They often end up leaving the role of diagnosing and treating the issue to teachers in elementary schools. According to Mowlem, Agnew-Blais, Taylor & Asherson (2019), ADHD issues are often diagnosed more from schools than they are from homes. Parents often overlook the symptoms of ADHD that include; impulsive behavior among children, hyperactive behavior or overuse of energy when not required, the indication that a child is not listening even when being spoken to directly and too many careless mistakes in homework and other chores (Sali et al., 2018). It is important to consider ADHD a significant concern among children and make efforts to deal with the issue as soon as possible. This essay examines the overlooked ADHD issues among children and presents a case for the role of schools and teachers in dealing with ADHD cases among children.

The Attention Deficit Disorder Concern Among Children

Attention Deficit among children is a significant problem among many teenagers. According to Wong, Hawes, Clarke, Kohn & Dar-Nimrod (2018), over 30% of children show symptoms of ADHD at some point in their lives. Children with ADHD also show different levels of manifestation as the child grows. It is thus common to have children with very mild levels of ADHD that can be easily disregarded by parents and teachers as well. Attention deficit diagnosis among children is done often when they surpass the threshold of acceptable behavior. Teachers and parents often notice the issue when the child is too obvious with their mistakes or attention issues. The manifestation of such concerns often leads to frustrations in the children that sparks anger spells and insatiable rage (Sali et al., 2018). Late diagnosis of ADHD seems to be a common issue among most children suffering the condition. The problem with late diagnosis is that the therapy required to treat the condition is more delicate.

Treatment options for ADHD among children differ as the child grows from the toddler age to the teenage age. Treatment is even worse for adolescents as they often seem to have truant and ingrate behavior. Children who seem to have an opinion about their identity tend to be more difficult to treat than those who prefer to be told what to do (Mowlem et al., 2019). It is tough for parents to accept the problems their children are facing but often, the choice to accept or deny the matter is not given to them but rather, a circumstantial matter. Dealing with ADHD is difficult due to the difficulty in diagnosis. Children often face many social issues that can be confused with ADHD. The environment they live in can be a contributing factor to the attention issues they have, as are social issues such as the friends they have, early cases of drug abuse and even domestic problems at home (Sali et al., 2018). Teenage issues relating to attention deficit disorder in the United States are quite common, and it can be considered a national issue that needs to be addressed (Mowlem et al., 2019).

Helping Children Cope with ADHD

Hyperactivity Disorder is rarely handled with ingestible medicine or any form of drug treatment. This is because the option is discouraged as a good number of the options Therapy options for treating attention deficit disorder are the common solutions to the issues. According to Wong et al. (2018), treatments that involve drug use often calls for the administration of oral stimulants. Some of the drugs used to lower hyperactivity include; antidepressants such as tricyclics, non-stimulants such as atomoxetine, stimulants such as chemical dopamine, and general anti-anxiety medication. Most of these drugs are however not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) due to their addictive nature (Sali et al., 2018). It would thus be unpopular if any of the medication options were to be tried on young children and adolescents. Many parents thus opt for therapy as the preferred option to help children cope with ADHD. The options available in therapy include; team activity, routine organization by adults and even strategies such as managing attention and distracting the mind. All these options are offered based on the nature of the child's condition.

Many parents are unable to handle therapy strategies that can assist their children in dealing with ADHD. This is because most of these strategies need constant monitoring and some level of participation by both parties. It is thus common that the sole responsibility of helping the child deal with attention deficit disorder is a communal effort (Mowlem et al., 2019). Anxiety problems among children with attention deficit disorder are common when there is an intervention into the matter and a perceived case of victimization by the patient. These children are often in denial and have a delicate emotional sense. They need to be handled in a manner that does not spook them or raise the alarm as to the nature of their condition. According to (Sali et al., (2018), it is okay for parents to let teenagers know what they are dealing with, and that they will support them in the treatment of the same. It is nonetheless ill-advised for parents to talk about these issues in front of young children or even discuss with them about the condition as many of them have fragile emotions.

Role of Schools and Teachers in Dealing with ADHD

Schools and teachers bear the greatest burden of dealing with ADHD. Schools are the common places children spend more than a third of their time while growing up. It is in these environments that conditions such as ADHD and other anxiety disorders materialized and even flare up. The school administrations must ensure that they deal with cases of anxiety disorders before they get too dangerous levels (Wong et al., 2018). Many children with ADHD are not only a danger to others but themselves as well. Children with the condition often engage in commonly dangerous activities that can lead to injury. It is also important to note behavior change in children, especially as they interact with others in the school compound. The administration has a role in notifying the parents of unusual issues the children face and where possible, propose medical attention to these parents (Wong et al., 2018). Where children with social and mental conditions end up harming others, the liability lies with the institution, not the child.

Teachers and instructors are the very individuals that interact with children while in school. They are the custodians of the children when the parents commit them to the schools. In most schools structures, different classes are assigned class teachers who should ensure the welfare of each child. The welfare of children with attention deficit disorder highly depends on the teacher noticing the issue beforehand and taking action (Mowlem et al., 2019). Teachers are expected to aid the school administration in mitigating the ADHD as well. They should be willing to participate in the therapy strategies advised by specialists and should be diligent enough to note on the progress of the child even while being treated. A teacher's contribution cannot be taken for granted. Parents ought to engage teachers as much as possible to deal with ADHD early enough before it fully manifests as the child grows older.

Discussion

While attention deficit disorder is common among children, it is not easy to detect or treat. The most productive options that can fix the problem soonest possible are medications that involve oral drug administration. Since oral administration of drugs is not a common option when dealing with children, it is necessary that proper therapy measures be taken to handle these cases. Parents have the sole responsibility to get the children the help they need to cope with the condition and even ensure that it is fully treated at some point. The concern, however, is that many parents tend to neglect their children's social issues once they begin attending school (Wong et al., 2018). Parents who are considerate and attentive also fail to spend enough time with their children due to other commitments and the fact that the children spend more time in school than at home as well. Teachers are thus the people who play a greater role in dealing with ADHD concerns among children than their parents do.

Helping children with ADHD to cope with the condition can be easy and complicated as well. The right coping strategies have to ensure that the child ends up managing their anxiety and hypersensitivity issues without feeling victimized. Children need to feel loved, which is the main way to help them cope with the issue. Regardless, it is necessary that coping strategies be considered immediately the problem is diagnosed. Not only is it vital to guarantee that the strategies used are ethical, but it is also critical to commit to the therapies required as the condition can often lead to negative behavior change among children if not well managed (Wong et al., 2018). Teachers often bear the responsibility of helping parents with the diagnosis and even treatment of their children's medical conditions. They should be keen to take responsibility seriously as often; they get to spend the most time with the kids. Teachers should thus consider these children to be their own and accord them the same treatment they would offer their children at home (Sali et al., 2018).

Conclusion

Attention deficit disorder is a problem in America and most parts of the world. Most cases of ADHD manifest at a young age and often degenerate as the child grows older. Proper attention and treatment of the child can end the issue sooner and expose the child to better social patterns and characteristics. It is easier to mould a child better when they are younger. Treating them at a very tender age often appears to be a common behavior mitigation strategy (Mowlem et al., 2019). As children grow older, ADHD issues increase due to hormonal growth and complicated social relationships. Children get more distracted, worse at becoming attentive and even easily aggravated as they grow older. It is thus imperative to have the social issues the child has addressed strategically. Schools can, for instance, have children tested annually for mental disorders or even perform their cognitive tests to determine these issues.

The confusion many parents and teachers have concerning ADHD and common truancy needs to be addressed through communal training programs. The more America continues to disregard the issue, the more it breeds antisocial behavior patterns among communities. Children with ADHD are practically harmless, but as they grow older, their potent for lethal damage becomes a...