ADHD can affect people differently. It depends on the type of ADHD symptoms a person
is struggling with. Also, symptoms can
exacerbate situations based on how the individual is feeling at the
moment. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects school-aged children through
adulthood with symptoms ranging from difficulty sustaining attention to
hyperactivity (American Psychiatric Association, 2000).
Treatments vary for ADHD, but the most predominant treatment
is the use of psychostimulant medications such as methylphenidate, also known
as Ritalin (Graziano, Geffken & Lall, 2011). However, in spite of the successful history
Ritalin to manage ADHD symptoms, it is still unknown how or why methylphenidate
works for this condition (Novartis, ND). Methylphenidate is a
form of amphetamine that affects the part of the brain that controls
impulsivity, hyperactivity, and lack of focus.
This drug has been used for decades to manage ADHD-like behaviors.
In their research, Graziano,
Geffken, and Lall (2011) employed parent-rating scales to measure the
effectiveness of methylphenidate with children diagnosed with ADHD. The results suggested that stimulant
medication, such as methylphenidate, appears to relieve the hyperactive and
impulsive symptoms of ADHD in school-aged children, allowing them to display
improved cognitive functioning, such as longer sustained attention, as compared
to subjects taking non-stimulant medication (Graziano, Geffken, & Lall,
2011).
Although Novartis clearly states that the effectiveness of
Ritalin on ADHD symptom management is unclear, the outcome appears to be very
obvious. Subjects observed while taking
stimulant medication displayed noticeably improved cognitive skills as opposed
to before the administration of the medication.
However, the behavioral assessments completed by parents and teachers
seem to correlate stimulant medication to improved symptom management for ADHD
individuals.
References:
American
Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental
disorders (4th ed., text rev.). Washington, DC: Author.
Graziano, P.A.,
Geffken, G.R., & Lall, A. S. (2011).
Heterogeneity in the pharmacological treatment of children with ADHD:
Cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning differences. Journal of Attention Disorders, 15(5), 382-391. Doi: 10.1177/1087054710367772
Novartis
Pharmaceutical Corporation (2010). Ritalin Prescribing Information. East Hanover, NJ: Author.
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