Unit 2 Discussion ADHD Due Sep15. Peer response- 2 replies 400w total and 4 references. Please use course resource/ textbook and DSM5 as reference.

Unit 2 Discussion ADHD Due Sep15. Peer response- 2 replies 400w total and 4 references. Please use course resource/ textbook and DSM5 as reference.

Peer Response

Instructions:

Please read and respond to the two postings below. You may want to consider the following questions in your responses to your peers:

· Compare and contrast your initial posting with those of your peers.  

· How are they similar or how are they different?

· What information can you add that would help support the responses of your peers?

· Ask your peers a question for clarification about their post.

· What most interests you about their responses? 

Please be sure to validate your opinions and ideas with citations and references in APA format.

Course information

NU674 Psychiatric Mental Healthcare II

Rachel -student

Sep 11 11:30pm

1. What are the reasons for an increase in the prevalence of ADHD diagnosis? (consider knowledge, public awareness, lack of exercise, lack of recess, nutrition, etc. 

Studies have offered additional explanations for the rise in ADHD besides merely altered diagnostic practices (Abdelnour et al., 2022). These include variations in geography and culture, heightened public health awareness and familiarity with the diagnosis, and improved access to care. As of October 2004, ADHD has even been granted its own Awareness Month. Because ADHD has taken over social media sites like TikTok and Twitter, it has also increased public awareness of the condition (Abdelnour et al., 2022). On TikTok, the hashtag #adhd has received 11.4 billion views as of May 2022. Many patients attribute their diagnosis realization and subsequent therapy seeking to these venues (Abdelnour et al., 2022). However, false information on ADHD is extremely common, as is typically the case with the internet and social media. According to a recent study, the majority of the deceptive content about ADHD on TikTok was uploaded by non-healthcare providers, and over half of the content was false (Abdelnour et al., 2022). However, the same study did demonstrate that consumer-facing content published by healthcare providers was significantly more accurate and helpful (Abdelnour et al., 2022). More precise diagnoses have been made as a result of growing knowledge of ADHD and its symptoms. More kids are now able to receive an ADHD diagnosis thanks to the expansion of the diagnostic criteria over time (Abdelnour et al., 2022). More diagnosis of ADHD-like symptoms may result from insufficient physical activity, shortened recess periods, and poor nutrition (Abdelnour et al., 2022).

2. How do you differentiate between a normally active child and a child who has ADHD? 

The two main areas where ADHD and high energy differ from one another are in focus and impulsive control. An active child can concentrate when directed and accomplish a task all the way through (NIMH, 2024). When attempting to finish a task, a child with ADHD may become frustrated or find it nearly impossible to focus. Both an ADHD child and a typically active child might be talkative and impulsive (NIMH, 2024). Nonetheless, children diagnosed with ADHD frequently exhibit impulsive, hyperactive, and inattentive characteristics that impede their growth and ability to operate. Their quality of life is negatively impacted by these symptoms, which are more intense and frequent (NIMH, 2024)

3. Who are the useful informants for a doctor diagnosing a child who may have ADHD and why? 

The doctor may consider the patient's past school experiences and behavior from childhood, if the patient is an adult, or the patient’s current school experiences and behavior if the patient is a child (NIMH, 2024). In order to gather this data—which includes actions and experiences at home, school, and other places—the provider may request authorization to speak with the patient's partners, family, friends, teachers, and other individuals who know them well and have observed them in a variety of situations (NIMH, 2024). The mental health provider will assess if the patient fits the requirements for an ADHD diagnosis using standardized behavior rating scales or checklists of symptoms.  Psychological tests are administered to assess cognitive capabilities such as working memory, executive functioning (such as organizing and making decisions), visual and spatial cognition, and judgment (NIMH, 2024). These assessments can be used to determine cognitive (thinking-related) or psychological strengths and weaknesses, as well as to rule out or diagnose learning difficulties (NIMH, 2024).

4. What non-pharmacological treatment has been useful in treating children with ADHD? 

Since meditation improves present-moment awareness through focus and sustained attention, it is thought to be a good treatment for ADHD according to Shrestha et al., (2019). Meditation-based therapies (mindfulness, vipassana, yoga, and many more) improved childhood ADHD symptoms with a modest effect size, with benefits being greater for inattention than for hyperactive-impulsive symptoms, according to a 2018 systemic meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (Shrestha et al., 2019). While working memory and inhibition were improved in adults, working memory and inhibition did not improve in children despite improvements in ADHD symptoms (Shrestha et al., 2019). Biologically based systems, such as herbal products and dietary supplements, alternative whole medical systems like Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine, manipulative and body-based systems like osteopathy and chiropractic, mind-body practices like art, music, pet therapy, and aromatherapy, biofeedback, hypnosis, meditation/mindfulness, prayer, yoga, etc., and energy/biofield therapies like acupuncture and healing touch are among the 50–64% of parents whose children have ADHD report using integrative medicine to treat their child's symptoms (Shrestha et al., 2019).

5. What are the long-term effects on the brain of children who have used medication for ADHD? What are the possible long-term benefits and negative impacts of those medications? 

In the late 1970s, more than 100 school-age children participated in a 2-year controlled study conducted by Rachel Klein, PhD, a professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine, and her colleagues (Miller & Milham, 2023). The participants were then routinely followed up with over a 33-year period. The majority, who are now 41 years old, showed no adverse impacts on their health or other functioning as compared to individuals who did not use ADHD medication (Miller & Milham, 2023). Because it is very difficult to treat patients in a scientifically organized fashion over an extended period of time and to measure the results, Dr. Klein points out that we don't know for sure what the long-term consequences of ADHD medicines might have on the brain (Miller & Milham, 2023). She does, however, add that parents must balance the unknowns of long-term use with the known hazards of not treating ADHD in kids, which include a higher likelihood of academic failure, conflicts with parents and authorities, and risky behaviors (Miller & Milham, 2023). According to Chang et al., (2019) pharmacoepidemiology research that is now available indicates that there is no increased risk of suicidality or seizures and that ADHD drugs have short-term positive impacts on a number of behavioral and neuropsychiatric outcomes (such as injuries, auto accidents, education, and substance use disorders). It will be necessary to carefully balance the possible benefits of ADHD drugs against any potential drawbacks, such as adverse effects and societal issues (such as stimulant abuse and distraction) (Chang et al., 2019).

 

References:

Abdelnour, E., Jansen, M. O., & Gold, J. A. (2022). ADHD Diagnostic Trends: Increased Recognition or Overdiagnosis?.  Missouri medicine,  119(5), 467–473.

Chang, Z., Ghirardi, L., Quinn, P. D., Asherson, P., D'Onofrio, B. M., & Larsson, H. (2019). Risks and Benefits of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication on Behavioral and Neuropsychiatric Outcomes: A Qualitative Review of Pharmacoepidemiology Studies Using Linked Prescription Databases.  Biological psychiatry,  86(5), 335–343. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.04.009

Miller, C., & Milham, M. (2023). What We Know About the Long-Term Effects of ADHD Medications. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from https://childmind.org/article/know-long-term-effects-adhd-medications/

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2024). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know. Retrieved September 11, 2024, from  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-what-you-need-to-knowLinks to an external site.

Shrestha, M., Lautenschleger, J., & Soares, N. (2019). Non-pharmacologic management of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents: a review.  Translational Pediatrics, 9(Suppl 1), S114-S124. doi:10.21037/tp.2019.10.01

Dr. Sam- course instructor

Hello, Students.

In reviewing the non-pharmacological aspects of ADHD treatment, we focus on school-based intervention. We consider school-based activities and examine the school's two main mechanisms of services: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA, 2016).

The first mechanism, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is a civil rights law that mandates schools to provide students with disabilities an education equivalent to those without disabilities. The services provided to these students are carefully documented in their 504 plans. Such services may encompass reduced homework loads, access to quiet study areas, simplified task instructions, modified testing formats, etc. (Hustus et al., 2020).

The second mechanism is that services through IDEIA are federally mandated, and services under this Act are documented in the student's Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). IEPs are legally binding documents that offer children with unique learning needs personalized support, tailored goals, and specialized accommodations and modifications tailored to the student's specific academic requirements (Hustus et al., 2020). It's crucial to remember that an IEP provides a collaborative framework that includes the teachers, the parents/guardians, the counselors, and other professionals, fostering a sense of inclusion and teamwork that works cohesively for the student's educational benefits.

 

Reference

Hustus, C. L., Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., Benson, K., Hetrick, A. A., Kipperman, K., & Dupaul, G. J. (2020). An Evaluation of 504 and Individualized Education Programs for High School Students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. School Psychology Review, 49(3), 333-345. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1777830