responed to two classmates posts (150 words)

Read and reply to at least two other student posts ( providing 150-300 words each ). Your reply should be relevant substantive and respectful. Your reply needs to extend the original post (through examples oradditional sources/information/research) challenge the original post and/or critique the original post.
Student 1)
Recent survey of parents shows that children between the ages of 4-17(6.4 milllion) have been diagnosed with ADHD as of 2011 (CDC 2017). However the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders show that 5% of children actually have ADHD. Boys were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls. A recent study done by Peter Jensen found that 56% met the normalization criteria for medication out of 68% (OConnor 2001). The symptoms of ADHD show that it interferes with a childs ability to learn social skills. Improved social skills developed while using medication for ADHD. According to Consumer Reports a survey was done on parents of children who were put on medication. Of the parents surveyed children had slightly better outcomes than those who were not (Reports 2017). Academic performance behavior at school social relationships reduced hyperactivity impulsivity and inattention (Reports 2017). Another benefit includes physical coordination (Dean 2016).
On the other hand children taking medication for ADHD like Ritalin are more prone to self-administer cocaine as adults (Daw 2001). According to Peter Breggin director of International Center for the study of Psychiatry and Psychology children who take ADHD medicine are more likely to use drugs other than ADHD medicine in the future. The research that has been done on if ADHD should be medically treated with medication has found different ways to manage the hyperactivity and inattention; behavioral therapy. According to the National Institute of Mental Health behavioral therapy is an alternate way to treat ADHD children however MTA demonstrated that medication followed up by the intensive therapy is more effective up to 14 months. Medication alone is not the best treatment for a child. Academic performance family relations have a higher chance of positive results with the combination of both medication and behavioral therapy. Stimulants such as Ritalin Adderall Dexedrine have risks if taken for ADHD. According to the American Heart Association children who do take medication should be tested for hidden heart problems for these stimulants increase heart rate and blood pressure (Boyles 2008). Affects of medication include loss of appetite sleep problems crying spells and repetitive movements stomach aches and headaches (Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder 2017).
References
Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Retrieved February 25 2017 from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.nimh.nih.gov/funding/clinical-research/practical/mta/the-multimodal-treatment-of-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-study-mta-questions-and-answers.shtml
Boyles S. (2008 April 21). ADHD drugs: Heart screen recommended. Retrieved February 25 2017 from WebMDhttp://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/news/20080421/adhd-drugs-heart-screen-recommended#4
CDC. (2017 February 14). Data & statistics. Retrieved February 25 2017 from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html
Daw J. (2017). The Ritalin debate. Retrieved February 25 2017 from American Psychological Association http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun01/ritalin.aspx
Dean D. (2016 March 22). ADHD medication pros & cons. Retrieved February 25 2017 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/243702-adhd-medication-pros-cons/
OConnor E. (2011). Medicating ADHD: Too much? Too soon? Retrieved February 25 2017 fromhttp://www.apa.org/monitor/dec01/medicating.aspx
Reports 2017 C. (2015 May 4). Pros and cons of ADHD medication. Retrieved February 25 2017 from http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/2013/01/the-pros-and-cons-of-treating-adhd-with-drugs/index.htm
Student 2)
The argument for and against the use of medication to control attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been a topic of focus for many years. Both arguments are neither right nor are they are wrong since there is no single set-in-stone way of relieving someone of ADHDsince every person may react differently to certain medications and to certain types of therapy. It has also been argued that professionals have often overdiagnose and overmedicate children who have ADHD where others have countered that these medications are an ADHD childs best chance for normalcy (OConnor 2010).
Addressing ADHD with medication however does have benefits. A year-long study was done by Dr. Jensen where children that had met the requirements for ADHD were put into one of several groups: a group that combined medication and intensive behavioral therapy a group that only used medication a group that used intensive behavior therapy only or a group that was placed in usual care. At the end of the year-long study the group that had combined medication and intensive behavioral therapy had the most improvement where 68 percent of those children were shown to either have a reduction or complete discontinuation of the behaviors such as extreme aggression or lack of concentration. Alternatively Jensens medication group children were shown to have 56 percent of their members meeting normalization standards. Lastly the children in the behavior therapy group only 34 percent were normalized and the children in the community-care group only had 25 percent of its group members organized (OConnor 2001). If the case were standing on just the information of medication versus behavioral therapy the evidence supporting medication showed that half of the children in the year-long study made a greater improvement than the children in the behavior therapy group. Equally one could say that medication would still not be the only way to cure a childs ADHD. Jensens study proved that medication and behavioral therapy was more efficient in remedying the behavior but also proved that there is some work to be on treating the behavior without medicationseeing this method as not only a possibility but something that could work as well. The battle for improving behavior through therapy could equally be supported by the findings were shown when the two methods were combined together. The National Institute of Mental Health added to this battle of medication versus therapy by adding the improvement of the condition only lasted as long as 14 months (National Institute of Mental Health 2009). This information was also contradicted when it was revealed that the children in the medication-only group were given higher doses of medication than the children who were in the combination group. Since the dosage of the medication was lowered for the combination group members it can be argued that the children of this particular group was proving that medication was not playing as crucial of a role as thought when it came to reducing the undesired behaviors.
As of 2008 the American Heart Association has urged that children and teens taking the medication for management of ADHD should be screened for hidden heart problems (Boyles 2008). Since this date over 2.5 million children and teen in the United States take medication to manage their ADHD; these medications have been reported to increase heart rates and blood pressure (Boyles 2008). Further studies have insinuated that ADHD is more common in children have been reported with heart problems. This fact alone may pose the argument that children may need another alternative to medication to keep their behaviors and their health under control. While the medication has proven to aid in the improvement of ADHD behaviors but it has also been suggested that medications like Ritalin are a possible gateway drug to other stimulants (Daw 2001). Only 36 percent of children who were treated with stimulants were cigarette smokers as adults which differs vastly from the 2 percent of adults who were dependent on cocaine (Daw 2010). There could be a variety of reasons for the dependence on drugs however. Many children grow up and become curious about drugs and they decide one of two thingsone they try the drug and like the experience they have or two they try the drug and do not like the experience. The two events of having been medicated with stimulants for ADHD and having a dependence on recreational drugs are not mutually exclusive. It can be argued that a childs experience may have affected their use of recreational drugs this could mean that their childhood experiences would have greatly influenced their choices.
When deciding what do about a childs ADHD it should be suggested that all options should be exhausted before sticking to just one type of plan. Not every child reacts the same to every experience or every medication the same way that their peers do. There are lots of options to explore and there are many outcomes to consider when combating undesirable child behavior. Especially since there are so many ways for children to develop.
References:
Boyles S. (April 21 2008).ADHD Drugs: Heart Screen Recommended. Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/childhood-adhd/news/20080421/adhd-drugs-heart-
screen-recommended#1
Daw J. (June 2001).The Ritalin Debate. Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun01/ritalin.aspx
National Institute of Mental Health. (November 2009).The Multimodal Treatment of Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Study (MTA) Questions and Answers. Retrieved from
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/funding/clinical-research/practical/mta/the-
multimodal-treatment-of-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-study-
mta-questions-and-answers.shtml
OConnor E. M. (December 2001).Medicating ADHD: Too Much? Too Soon?Retrieved from
http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec01/medicating.aspx