Treatment options for preschool and school-age children with ADHD

Name: ________________________________ ___________________________ 

Topic Selected: Treatment options for preschool and school-age children with ADHD

Paper Title: Treating the symptoms of ADHD in preschool and school-age children 

I. IntroductionMy position on the topicA. ADHD is an acronym for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a neurobehavioral condition that is characterized by excessive distraction, inattention, and restlessness. ADHD is commonly found in several preschool and school-age children. One out of 30 school-age children is diagnosed with ADHD. Children affected by ADHD face excessive inattentiveness and hyperactivity which interferes with their daily routines. ADHD interferes with the capacity of the child to maintain and develop social relationships and his ability to perform in school. It can impact a child to such an extent that he may face the consequence of dropping out of the school.

B. Several effective treatments are available to treat the symptoms of ADHD in pre-school and school-age children. These treatments assist a child in managing the impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention symptoms. It also improves his abilities to perform at school. Treatments of ADHD include medication, dietary and psychological therapy. Treatments can also be a combination of either of these three treatment options.

C. The medicines that are used for treating the symptoms of ADHD are generally effective and safe. However, children and parents complain of experiencing side effects of these medicines. A few of these side effects are significant at times. The makers of medications related to ADHD should guide the parents regarding the known potential side effects that are associated with these medicines.

II. Supporting Reason 1:

A. Carefully crafted medication is a significant part of ADHD treatment package. Parents have an enormous choice of approved medication or treating the disease in their children as developments have taken place in pharmacological management of ADHD. B. The pharmacological medication options available include short-acting simulants such as dexamfetamine immediate release and methylphenidate [MPH] immediate release, and a modified release simulant Concerta. These medications perform a 12 hour long action. Another immediate and slow release medication with an 8 hour long action non-simulant drug called atomoxetine has also been introduced. These medications help in the treatment of symptoms of ADHD in pre-school and school-age children. These medications have an acceptable profile of side effects (Graham et.al, 2007). The side effects that can be caused by these medications include drowsiness, weight loss, and appetite loss. However, these medications do not cause insomnia. Pre-school children who are under the age of 6 years have shown good tolerability and efficacy with these pharmacological medications. However, the effect size is lesser as compared to school going children. Treatment for preschool children should start with extremely low doses of pharmacological medications.

C. Medication is a highly effective technique for treating the symptoms of ADHD in preschool and school-age children. However, medication works the best if it is taken as prescribed by physicians. Decreasing or increasing the amount of dosage can have negative effects on the health of children. III. Supporting Reason 2: ...