Garrett Muersch Com 101-038 November 13, 2013 Understanding AD D !

n 1"02, the #ritish $ediatrician %ir George &rederic' gave a (ecture to the )o*a( Co((ege o+ ,h*sicians in -ondon on the abnorma( behavior he had observed in +ort*-three *oung $atients. /he chi(dren dis$(a*ed an inabi(it* to $a* attention, and 0ou(d o+ten be de+iant and emotiona(. 1hi(e this behavior is norma( in most chi(dren and correctab(e b* $unishment, %ir George noticed that disci$(ining the chi(dren in his stud* had on(* a nomina( e++ect. e engaged the chi(dren in en2o*ab(e activities, and the* continued to dis$(a* the same s*m$toms. %ir George deduced that the chi(dren 0ere not (a3* or bored, and had no contro( over their (ac' o+ +ocus. /oda*, these chi(dren 0ou(d be diagnosed 0ith a menta( disorder 'no0n as attention de+icit h*$eractivit* disorder, or AD D. /his disorder a++ects near(* ten $ercent o+ the American $o$u(ation, but treatments, a(ong 0ith medication, are avai(ab(e to he($ $eo$(e co$e 0ith the s*m$toms. Des$ite the success o+ these medications, the* shou(d not be given to 'ids because o+ ho0 dangerous, and even dead(*, the* can be. Most $eo$(e toda* have at (east heard, or even 'no0 a (itt(e bit about AD D. /here are man* s*m$toms to this disorder inc(uding inabi(it* to $a* attention, having a hard time sitting sti((, o+ten s0itching +rom one tas' to another 2ust to name a +e0 4 ec'a0itt35. #ecause o+ these s*m$toms, it is $rett* c(ear that someone 0ith AD D 0ou(d have a much harder time in schoo( than someone 0ithout

the disorder. #e+ore an*one 'ne0 that this is a $ossib(e disorder, 'ids 0ere o+ten $unished +or something the* cou(d not even contro(. AD D is not some ne0 +ad either, there are documents dating bac' a(( the 0a* to 260 #.C. describing AD D (i'e s*m$toms. !t 0asn7t unti( %ir George in the ear(* 1"007s that 0e gave a name to associate 0ith these s*m$toms8 he ca((ed it a mora( de+ect. /here 0ere man* di++erent terms given to these s*m$toms throughout the +irst ha(+ o+ the 20th centur*, such as 9minima( brain d*s+unction:, 9minima( brain disorder: , or 9h*$eractivit*:. None o+ these rea((* stuc' because AD D isn7t brain damage and it gave $eo$(e 0ho 0ere diagnosed a negative stigma. !t 0asn7t unti( 1"80 that doctors started ca((ing it AD D or ADD, de$ending on *our case. Man* studies such as the one conducted b* Ma*o c(inic have indicated that bo*s are three times more (i'e(* to have AD D then gir(s ho0ever, it a$$ears that man* gir(s are gone undiagnosed because the* mani+est the s*m$toms di++erent(* then bo*s and have the more inattentive +orm o+ the disorder. More and more adu(ts have been identi+ied as being undiagnosed and are no0 2ust recent(* discovering 0h* the* had so man* (i+e strugg(es gro0ing u$. /he a++ects o+ AD D can be 0ide reaching +or both bo*s, gir(s and even adu(ts. ;+ten the* are $erceived as (a3*. Man* $eo$(e 0ith AD D have average to above average inte((igence but their true +unctiona( $er+ormance is o+ten over(oo'ed due to $oor testing and di++icu(ties s(o0ing do0n to $a* attention to the detai(s o+ their 0or'. Most $eo$(e 0ith AD D have high energ* (eve(s and miss socia( cues and can be brass*, and insensitive. ;n the other hand, the* are the (i+e o+ the $art* and the c(ass c(o0n. /he* are thri(( see'ers, dare devi(s (iving (i+e on the edge +ai(ing to re+(ect on the conse<uences o+ their behavior. Man* times the* 0i(( be high(* e=cited and motivated about nove( activities but easi(* gets board 0hen it becomes monotonous. Conse<uent(*, abandoning the tas' and 2um$ing into another. Man* $ro2ects are started but +e0 get com$(eted. /he* are a(0a*s see'ing activities to meet

their high need +or stimu(ation. 1hen (e+t untreated, individua(s 0ith AD D can become se(+destructive through ris' ta'ing behavior and>or use o+ recreationa( drugs to se(+ medicate. &ortunate(*, societ* has become more educated on this to$ic and chi(dren at an ear(* age are being identi+ied 0ith this condition. As a resu(t o+ ear(* detection, teachers and $arents have a better understanding o+ their strugg(es. #ecause these individua(s are recogni3ed as having a true condition the* are not (abe(ed as (a3* or bad. ?er* ear(* on these chi(dren are being given an individua( educationa( $(an 4!@,5 0hich inc(udes accommodations to $romote (earning as 0e(( as strategies to maintain $ro$er attention and behavior. Man* schoo( age chi(dren 0ou(d not have the o$$ortunit* to reach their ma=imum (eve( o+ academic $er+ormance i+ test such as the Connor %ca(es and /he %choo( Com$anion %ensor* ,ro+i(e 0ere not deve(o$ed. 1ithout $ro$er intervention man* AD D individua(s have a (o0 se(+ esteem due to their $oor academic $er+ormance and decrease socia( s'i((s. Cognitive $rograms (i'e 9 o0 Does Aour @ngine )un: has been e=treme(* success+u( in training at a *oung age se(+- regu(ating strategies to maintain $ro$er (eve( o+ a(ertness and behavior 0ithout the use o+ medication 4#ar'(e*5. A(though, $eo$(e have become success+u( in managing their conditioning 0ithout medication, AD D is a rea( medica( diagnosis as a resu(t o+ chemica( conditions $resent in the brain. %ince the 20th centur*, doctors have a(0a*s tried to +igure out the cause o+ AD D. /he* have had man* ideas, but even toda* no one 'no0s +or certain 0hat causes this disorder. %ome thin' it is caused b* the chi(dBs environment, some thin' it is genetics, and others thin' it cou(d be caused b* the di++erent additives that are in our +oods. &iguring out the cause is im$ortant in order to tr* to $revent the disorder +rom starting, but on the same note it is im$ortant +or doctors to +ind out ho0 to treat $atients that a(read* have AD D to ma'e there (ives easier. A+ter man* *ears o+ research the* +ina((* did come u$ 0ith a drug to he($ these chi(dren +ocus8 /he mirac(e $i(( ca((ed )ita(in.

)ita(in 0as +irst used to treat AD D in the 1"607s. /he com$anies mar'eted it to he($ 9$rob(em chi(dren:, or the 'ids 0ho 0ou(d misbehave in schoo( due to either AD D or some other +actor in the chi(d. /he drug 0as ever*thing $arents and schoo(s cou(d 0ant and more, an eas* 0a* to increase the attentiveness in chi(dren and sto$$ing them +rom becoming a distraction to the c(ass. /his ne0 9mirac(e drug: did 0onders +or 'ids ever*0here bene+iting schoo(s, $arents, and drug com$anies a(i'e. Use o+ )ita(in, and other stimu(ants, increased in sa(es throughout the rest o+ the 20th centur*, but bet0een 1""1-1""" U.%. sa(es 0ou(d increase near(* 600C, and America $roduced, and consumed "0C o+ the 0or(ds su$$(* o+ )ita(in 4@((iot5. /his raised more than a +e0 <uestions, its 2ust si((* to thin' that America cou(d be the on(* countr* a++ected b* this disorder. /here is c(ear(* an in+(ation in the amount o+ AD D diagnoses in the United %tates, but the <uestion is 0h*D !t might not seem to obvious, but there are reasons +or this dramatic increase. ;ne reason, is to increase grades and tests scores. )ita(in is a ver* e++ective drug, and students 0ho ta'e it 0i(( see a drastic im$rovement in there grades and tests. 1hen something 0or's this 0e((, it is not ver* hard to see 0h* the $o$u(arit* o+ the drug 0ou(d increase. /his ma* account +or some increase in sa(es, but not 600C increase 0ithin ten *ears due to the +act that it does re<uire a $rescri$tion, (imiting the mar'et o+ the drug. /his a(so doesnBt e=$(ain 0h* it is sec(uded to America. More than one thing contributed to0ards the in+(u= in $rescri$tions, but the biggest +actor b* +ar, is greed. Cor$orate greed is the bac'bone o+ this countr*, so it came to no sur$rise to +ind out that the giant $harmaceutica( com$anies 0ere behind this. Novartis is the drug com$an* that manu+actures and se((s )ita(in. ;nce the* rea(i3ed 0hat the* had, the* 'ne0 the* 0ere sitting on a go(d mine. /he* had a drug that can ma'e even the 0orst o+ students to behave, but 0hat he(d them bac' 0as that there 0ere

on(* so man* 'ids 0ith AD D. !n order to get around this, Novartis co((uded 0ith the American ,s*chiatric Association and cons$ired to over $romote AD D as 0e(( as easing the re<uirements to get diagnosed. /his created a huge mar'et +or the drug and rea((* ram$ed u$ sa(es +or Novartis. Aou can even see the increase in sa(es i+ *ou (oo' at their stoc' histor*. !ts no sur$rise that the com$an* 0ent $ub(ic in 1""E, during the he*da* o+ the )ita(in crisis, and b* the time )ita(in consum$tion had $ea'ed in the (ate 1""07s the com$anies stoc' $rice had near(* doub(ed, setting record highs unsur$assed to this da*. !t7s a $rett* (arge c(aim to sa* that a (arge com$an*, a(ong 0ith other organi3ations, cons$ired to increase their sa(es. A(though it is not $roven to be true, there is a (ot o+ evidence to suggest this. !n the *ear 2000, +ive se$arate c(ass action (a0 suits 0ere +i(ed against Novartis. /he +irst re$ort 0as +i(ed in /e=as, and -iu*an Fhang, o+ AD DGene.org, said 9Ciba>Novartis $(anned, cons$ired, and co((uded to create, deve(o$ and $romote the diagnosis o+ Attention De+icit Disorder 4ADD5 and Attention De+icit *$eractivit* Disorder 4AD D5 in a high(* success+u( e++ort to increase the mar'et +or its $roduct )ita(in.: Due to not having enough concrete evidence, a(( the cases 0ere dro$$ed. ,erha$s the* 0eren7t behind it, and the increase in sa(es 0ere caused b* some other reason. At this $oint it is a(( s$ecu(ation, but ! thin' the* did $(a* a ro(e. Com$anies o+ this si3e have a (ot o+ $o0er, and can ver* easi(* s0a* a court or terminate some evidence. /he drug com$anies ma* have $(a*ed the biggest ro(e, but the schoo( s*stems 0ere a(so at +au(t. @ver* schoo( needs mone* in order to o$erate in the United %tates. &or $ub(ic schoo(s, the government +unds them based o++ the number o+ students that attend the +aci(it*, a(ong 0ith other +actors that var* +rom state to state. Not ever* 'id is the same, some need more resources than others, so the schoo( 0ou(d get near(* doub(e the +unding $er student i+ that student 0as diagnosed 0ith some sort o+

disabi(it*. No0 that these drug com$anies have made it easier to be diagnosed 0ith AD D, schoo(s 0ere $ushing +or there students to become diagnosed. %choo(s 0ou(d a(so see higher tests and grades granting them even more +unding due to the amount o+ students that 0ere no0 on )ita(in or other simi(ar stimu(ants. ! +ind it ironic that 'ids 0ou(d be taught to 92ust sa* no: to drugs and a(coho(, but then $roceed to go to the nurses o++ice +or their dai(* dose o+ )ita(in. /here are man* stories o+ $arents 0ho did not 0ant there chi(d on medication, but 0ere intimidated b* the schoo(s to $ut there chi(dren on the drugs 4#ronson5. /he drug com$anies, a(ong 0ith the schoo(s, created a mess invo(ving AD D. /he huge amounts o+ over diagnosis (ed to man* $eo$(e doubting ho0 rea( this disorder is. /his is un+air to the 'ids 0ho tru(* have AD D and need he($ +or it. !ts a(most as i+ 0e are bac'trac'ing in this +ie(d, undoing and discrediting a(( the 0or' $eo$(e such as %ir George &rederic' has done to give merit to the disorder. ,arents 0ho sa0 this di(emma might no0 see AD D as +a'e, ma'ing them un0i((ing to have there chi(dren, 0ho ma* actua((* have the disorder, be tested. #et0een the drug com$anies and the schoo( s*stems, 0e 0ere rea((* $ushed bac' a ste$ in this re(ative(* ne0 +ie(d. 1hat ma'es it 0orse is that over time, it turns out that )ita(in is not as harm(ess as the* thought, and has man* side a++ects that cou(d be ver* harm+u( to humans, es$ecia((* to chi(dren. %ome side a++ects )ita(in causes is (ac' o+ a$$etite, $ersona(it* changes and insomnia among other things. !n rare cases, the drug can cause $h*sica( and or $s*cho(ogica( changes and has even (ed to death. !t shou(d a(so be noted that )ita(in is a stimu(ant, and is in the same +ami(* as cocaine. Doctors c(aimed that the drug does not have the addictiveness o+ cocaine because it 0or's a (ot s(o0er, but the drug does have $otentia( +or abuse. Due to the 0ide avai(abi(it* o+ )ita(in, it is not uncommon +or 'ids

to abuse or even se(( the $i((s to others 0ithin schoo(. /here are even cases o+ $arents getting there chi(dren +a(se(* diagnosed 0ith AD D in order to receive the medication +or themse(ves. /he +act o+ the matter is that no one rea((* 'ne0 the (ong term a++ects o+ these ne0 drugs, and it turned out that chi(dren ta'ing this medication +or e=tended $eriods o+ time cou(d start to +orm $rob(ems 0ith there heart. /his has actua((* (ed to some 'ids dieing +rom ta'ing this drug, causing grie+ and miser* +or $arents ever*0here. %ince then doctors have come out 0ith man* ne0 drugs to he($ combat AD D. %uch as Addera(, Concerta, ?ivance etc. c(aiming the ris's are much (ess. &or the most $art this is true, studies have sho0n a decrease in )ita(in re(ated hea(th $rob(ems 4Grabber5, but 0e sti(( do not 'no0 a(( the (ong term a++ects o+ these drugs because o+ their recent discover*. o0 can com$anies be so b(ind 0ith greed that the* are 0i((ing to $ut thousands o+ chi(dren at ris' in order to ma=imi3e there a(read* bi((ion do((ar com$anies. &rom $ersona( e=$erience o+ being $rescribed to some o+ the drugs (isted above, the* rea((* are a great too( i+ *ou have some +orm AD D, but shou(d 'ids be $ut at ris' to increase revenue, grades or +undingD /here needs to be e=tensive, (ong term studies be+ore the* start se((ing these drugs. %ince these drugs 0ere avai(ab(e to me at an ear(* age, ! am g(ad ! o$ted not to ta'e them, and 0aited unti( ! 0as o(der to consider them. Gids shou(d not be $ut on medication that has $otentia( to harm them. /he* shou(d 0ait unti( the* are o(der and can ma'e there o0n decision. AD D has come a (ong 0a* since %ir George7s observations. @ven though some $eo$(e doubt the disorder entire(*, because o+ over diagnosing, most o+ our societ* understand ho0 rea( it is and ho0 it can rea((* a++ect somebodies (i+e. /he medication 0e have +or it no0 is getting a (ot better +rom even 20 *ears ago, but the* do need to be ta'en a (ot more serious than the* are no0. !t is crucia( 0e get the

he($ to the $eo$(e 0ho have this disorder, and the +aster 0e create ne0 medicines, or $rocedures to he($ nu((i+* the a++ects, the +aster it 0i(( be unti( these $eo$(e can start to (ive a easier (i+e. AD D is not something 0e shou(d 2ust brush o++ and $ush to the side, but instead shou(d be tr*ing to +ind ne0 methods o+ treatment. Man* $eo$(e across the 0or(d have AD D, and instead o+ tr*ing shove medications do0n our *ouths throat, 0e need to tr* and +ind 0a*s +or $eo$(e (i'e m*se(+, to (earn ho0 to (ive 0ith it instead o+ re(*ing so(e(* on drugs.

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