Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Instructions:- In the pediatric population of mental health disease attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), how does pharmaceutical therapy compare to alternate therapies affect overall health within a three month time period?
Group Goal is to get healthcare providers to implement alternate therapies for three months before using pharmaceutical therapies. This will need to be accomplished by proving alternate therapies are just beneficial if not more then immediately using ADHD medication. Please include the following information (The alternative therapy can be in the form of structured play, group counseling, individual counseling, acupuncture, and extra activity with reward) My section of the group project is the different (Programs) that can be implemented and (What needs to be done) in the form of legislative & policy-making strategies that influences health services
Solution.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental disease that mostly affects children. When people are diagnosed with ADHD, the next big step is selecting a treatment plan, and it could be pharmaceutical or otherwise. This paper looks at the alternative methods of treating ADHD without over-relying on medication alone as the only means (Larimer, 2005).
It is advisable for medical practitioners to offer other solutions over a three-month period before starting the drug. The drugs prescribed for ADHD are effective in balancing neurotransmitters to improve the symptoms of the patient. However, these drug has been known to come with some side effects to the detriment of the patient’s health. The side effects may include suicidal thoughts, loss of appetite, and heart problems among others (Larimer, 2005). These alternative methods have been found to be quite efficient and may treat other additional challenges such as conduct and anxiety disorders. They include:
Behaviour therapy- it may involve teachers and parents combining their effort. This method uses a system of rewards to control the behavior of children. A child receives a reward if they do as they are told. If a child is told to sit at the table and eat, they are given a reward for compliance, and it is taken if they don’t. Kids should be encouraged for even slight signs of improvement. This kind of treatment helps to mold the children and train them what to do and what to avoid.
The side-effects of medical treatment of ADHD has caused most parents to consider alternative treatment methods. Over the years, acupuncture has emerged as an effective complementary therapy for children. The most efficient method is auricular acupuncture. The ear, combined with body acupuncture, may be used to treat the illness via stimulation of certain body points using micro-thin needles. The ear can be stimulated via non-invasive procedures and hence it is the preferred treatment for children. Treating ADHD using acupuncture and oriental treatment is viewed differently compared to western medication.
Originally, play therapy was used on children to help them cope with trauma, but now it has ben identified as an effective remedy for ADHD too. It helps kids to manage certain symptoms such as hyperactivity and impulsivity (“ADHD Behavior Treatment for Preschoolers,” 2016). Structured play enables children with ADHD to have better social skills and interaction with their peers. Usually, kids with ADHD struggle to take turns, read social cues or play nicely with other children. A play therapist can help come up with structured play programs to assist the kids to improve on verbal and non-verbal cues among other things. Children with ADHD need people who form some routine in their lives such as ensuring that homework is done at a similar time every day.
Counseling is also another way that can be used to treat patients who have ADHD. It can be done individually with the affected kid, or it can be a group session that includes counselor, parent, child and other stakeholders. If the boy is a teenager, psychological therapy can be conducted one-on-one with the therapist instead of involving the parents. In cases where the children are young, group counseling is the most viable option.
Currently, there are no laws that
stipulate the qualifications a practitioner ought to have so as to treat a
person with ADHD. The government has to do more to enable individuals with ADHD
to receive treatment appropriately. There are laws in place that protect
individuals with disabilities from discrimination of any kind. The U.S.
Department of Education developed a resource guide to assist families,
educators, and children among other stakeholders to understand the laws of ADHD
and their application (“ADHD Behavior Treatment for Preschoolers,”
2016). Healthcare providers must join forces with parents and teachers to help
come up with the best solution for patients.
References
ADHD Behavior Treatment for Preschoolers. (2016). Home | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) | NCBDDD | CDC. Retrieved 17 November 2016, from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/treatment.html
Larimer, M. (2005). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) research developments (1st ed.). Hauppauge, N.Y.: Nova Science Publishers.
