ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is the most recent label placed on what is now the most common childhood disorder.
Individuals with ADHD tend to struggle with focus and attention, may be overactive or hyperactive, and may be prone to impulsive behavior.
The condition is widely treated with stimulant medications.
Two examples are amphetamines such as Adderall and methylphenidate drugs such as Ritalin.
These medications are thought to improve ADHD symptoms in 7 out of 10 cases.
Along with this success comes a long list of possible side effects including insomnia, eating disorders, sleep disorders, stunted growth, rebound symptoms between dosages, heartbeat irregularities, increased blood pressure, headaches, abnormal muscle twitches, and an increased risk of drug addiction later in life.
Some parents and their medical professionals will look at this list and opt for alternatives such as homeopathic ADHD remedies and/or behavioral therapy while others will look at it and believe that the benefits outweigh the risks.
The current statistics are that 60 percent will ignore the risk and 40 percent will look for other, safer, alternatives.
Stimulant use for ADHD has on has been on the rise since 1987 According to statistics from the National Institute of Health stimulant prescription use increased dramatically, rising from a rate among youth of 0.
6 percent in 1987 to 2.
7 percent in 1997, with the rate leveling out around 3 percent in 2002.
That said, recent reports suggest that the prescribed use of these medications and the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder have continued to rise according to the Health Resources and Service Administration's National Survey of Children's Health.
According to this survey the percentage of children age 4-17 years of age diagnosed with ADHD increased from 7.
8 percent in 2003 to 9.
5 percent in 2007.
To determine the number of children and young adults taking prescription ADHD stimulants the study referenced the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey which is a respected annual survey of household in the United States.
The study focused its attention on children under the age of 19.
The time frame was from 1996 up to 2008.
What was found was a slow but steady increase - from 2.
4 percent in 1996 to 3.
5 percent in 2008.
The rate of increase was 3.
4 percent each year, which has slowed from the breathtaking pace of 17 percent annually between 1987 and 1996.
Of course when you apply the law of large numbers today's increases may be just as dramatic.
When we delve deeper into the numbers the use of stimulant prescription medications for ADHD was highest amongst children 6 to 12 years of age risking from 4.
2 percent in 1996 to 5.
1 percent in 2008.
But much to my surprise the biggest increase overall occurred in children from 13 to 18 years of age rising from 2.
3 percent in 1996 to 5 percent in 2008.
One doctor stated that the increase among teens reflects the realization that ADHD often continues as children age.
I personally don't agree with this since just the other day I accidentally overheard a couple of teens talking about how they were taking Adderall solely for its ability to boost energy levels.
One even revealed he didn't even have ADHD! This fact alone leads me to believe that use is these drugs is much higher than the statistic listed above, may have little to do with the actual symptoms, and could be opening the door to a health disaster if any of the serious concerns about these prescription medications for treating ADHD end up being proven true over the long-term.
In conclusion, parenting an ADHD child can be a difficult task especially when they are hyperactive or part of the 40 percent of ADHD children who tend to show aggression.
Nevertheless, you should know that you do have a number of natural treatment options which are both safe and effective.
The two best examples of this are homeopathic ADHD remedies and cognitive behavioral therapy.