Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among American children which results to behavioral and learning deficits and is constantly increasing (Safer, Zito, & Fine, 1996; CDC, 2005). It is a complex and chronic mental health disorder characterized by hyperactivity-impulsivity, inappropriate levels of inattention, and restlessness which is developmentally inconsistent with children’s age (American Psychiatric Association, 2000; Edwards, 2002).
ADHD is associated with emotional, behavioral, social functioning, and academic deficits among school children in the US (DuPaul & Stoner, 2003; Barkley, 2006). Schnoes (2006) reported that the prevalence of ADHD group of students who were eligible for services under the learning disability (LD) category is approximately 50%.
I personally believe that the rapid increase of children diagnosed with this disability is not mainly due to the continuously rising population but because some parents have failed to consult psychiatrists which made their child’s condition worse, inconsistent or inefficient diagnosis were done in the early years when professionals lacked training, proper mitigating programs were not given especially to those who are economically deprived, less stringent view of defining ADHD when compared to other countries, various definition, diagnoses, and treatment standard for ADHD worldwide, external and genetic factors, ADHD symptoms overlap with other mental and behavior disorders, and some parents refuse to accept that their child might have developed ADHD due to the stigma of relating this issue to more severe disorders which makes the family and the child difficult to cope with.
The reasons for the fast growing number of cases of ADHD among children are further discussed based on the findings of relevant researcher individuals and groups. These are grouped into three such as inefficiency and inconsistency in clinical practice, rise of world population, and environmental and genetic factors. II. Supporting Reason 1: Inefficiency and inconsistency in clinical practice Based on the report of the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the prevalence of ADHD is 1. 4 percent among children in 1979 and 9. 2 percent in 1996 (Clinical Practice, 2000). There are various criteria are being used by health professionals for diagnosis and treatment of ADHD (Clinical Practice, 2000).
As a result, the inconsistencies would only discourage parents in seeking professional help for their child’s misbehavior. The similar symptoms between ADHD and other disorders such as bi-polar may cause future problems when misdiagnosed. This could harm the child’s development and recovery from the real disorder. Some parents would prefer that their child be diagnosed as having ADHD, a relatively common and accepted condition, rather than put up with the stigma of depression or bi-polar disorder which would likely be much more difficult to deal with. Smith (2007) reports that there have been increasing school-aged children in America who are diagnosed with ADHD than the rest of the world.
In the United Kingdom, it is commonly understood that the child can have both significant inattention and hyperactivity, which had come from the World Health Organization, and it has been accepted overseas which results in fewer students being labeled as children with ADHD. I agree with experts in that culture plays important factor in understanding behavior patterns that do not match the majority of the population. Symptoms must be carefully identified and the best interventions, programs, and therapies must be selected to help students improve their academic and social functioning and overcome the outset of ADHD. In the US, more children classrooms were diagnosed with ADHD and they are given medication as compared to Sweden (International, 2006).