Essay on opposing medicating children with adhd rather than teaching them social skills

1st Essay

The thesis statement of this paper aims to supports the use of teaching social skills to ADHD children unlike the various limitations ADHD medications has. The paper essay maps first describes the three points regarding ADHD medication in the first essay and later describes the opposing side supporting teaching social skills on the second essay. The topic sentences that connect each paragraph with this essay map include the sides’ effects of ADHD medications, ADHD potential addictions and drug abuse as well as addressing the key root of the problem. These factors discourage the use of ADHD medication and are discussed well in detailed below:

a) ADHD medication causes possible sides effects to children unlike in teaching social skills.

Ritalin is one of the drugs used to treat ADHD. Although it’s very effective in treating this disorder, it is a Class II drug with several known sides’ effects. One commonly known side effect of ADHD medications and especially Ritalin to the user is the loss of appetite. This can results into weight loss in children as well as insomnia unlike teaching them social skills which makes them not only feel affectionate from others but also physically fit. ADHD medications also causes long term effects in a child’s developing brain, psychiatric problems, heart associated problems, as well as other potential problems. This therefore means that children who have underlying heart problems are not allowed to take Ritalin Medications (McDonald 1).

In addition, Adderall, another ADHD medication used is said to affect chemicals in nerves and brain hence causing impulse control and hyperactivity. Death can also be a possible Adderall side effect as such stimulants have been seen to cause sudden death in adults and children who have heart problems (Altgeld 1).

b). ADHD medications leads to addiction and hence Making children potential for abuse unlike social skills.

ADHD medications have been known to be addictive and dangerous. Therefore, when children are treated with stimulants, they might become addicted in the long run which will make them more likely to abuse different other drugs. Unlike teaching social skills which allows ADHD children to forget their problem and see themselves just the same as other children, ADHD medication makes children potential drug abuse. This is the common reason why DEA, treats ADHD medications just the same as others drugs in the street (Altgeld 1).

c. ADHD medication does not address the real issue of ADHD

ADHD medication tends to hide the real problem facing a child. Since these children happens to be a bother to most families and schools the children attend, teachers and parents opt for medication in order to avoid dealing with such behaviors. Parents and teachers are usually unwilling to use counseling or teaching social skills as a way of treating the disorder. Whether to medicate children with ADHD is therefore a controversial issue among various parents. Most argues that ADHD medications, Dexedrine, Ritalin and Adderall have only short term benefits as compared to the long-term unfavorable effects in children.

Essay 2

Issues concerning social skills teaching on children affected by ADHD

a). Teaching social skill Unlike ADHD medication addresses the key root of the disorder

Teaching social skills to the affected child acts as a strategic measure of mitigating causes, symptoms as well as signs associated with the disorder. ADHD medication does not cure the disorder. It only relieves symptoms when it is taken, but the symptoms come back once medication stops. In addition, medication may work best for others while it may not work for others as every person respond differently to medication. However, teaching social skills ensures alteration and change in a child’s behavior to fit in the society. Teaching social skills can therefore be said as an effective method for addressing the root associated with the disorder.

b). Teaching Social skill promotes the social features of a child.

Unlike ADHD medication, teaching social skills to a child promotes the learning process, child’s concentration and attentiveness. Social skills do not have any side’s effects and ADHD medications cannot therefore be compared to social skills which have no known side’s effects to the children. Unlike ADHD medications which can affect children with heart problems, social skills can be used on all ADHD patients.
Other possible sides effects besides loss of appetite involves inability for the child to stay or fall asleep, headaches, nervousness, depression as well as anxiety. During long term use of ADHD medications, the child is likely to develop abdominal pain, fast heart beats and weight loss. This is serious as continued use will result into several other diseases as the child lack adequate nutritional foods into his/her life due to loss of appetite. Enough sleep is also very important and especially to children with ADHD; medications such as Ritalin reduce individuals sleep unlike social skills which make the child sleepier as a result of being exhaustively after play.

c). Teaching Social skill promotes the affected Child’s self esteem.

The guiding and counseling processes helps the child to associate with others. This also, unlike ADHD medication cannot lead to drug abuse but rather encourages children to live a normal life. The same case also applies to behavior intervention where the affected person is encouraged to concentrate on the positive outcomes rather than on the negatives (DuPaul and Gary 68).

In conclusion, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a mental disorder commonly found in children. ADHD involves having to cope up with a child with; continued depression or anxiety, has hearing problems, has difficulty staying focused or paying attention to what is said, or with difficulties controlling his/her behavior. ADHD also involves; a child who becomes bored very quickly with a task, one who struggles to follow any instructions even the most simple ones, one who has difficulties focusing on completing and organizing a task, or even one who easily becomes confused and daydreams. Such children experience very many problems in their social lives and need care and love. Handling children with this disorder is a bit difficult and it’s therefore important to find ways to prevent and treat this disorder. ADHD medication and teaching social skills to ADHD children are two important ways of handling ADHD disorder.

Medicating ADHD children is a very difficult issue for parents to make. Various people fear that ADHD medication has various effects to children and can even lead to adverse effects due to powerful drugs. Arguments on the advantages of teaching social skills to ADHD children outweigh medication of the same.

Work cited

Altgeld, William. The pros and cons of medicating children with ADD or ADHD. 2008. Web. 9th April 2011.

< http://www. helium. com/items/953396-the-pros-and-cons-of-medicating-children-with-add-or-adhd >
DuPaul, George., & Gary, Stoner. ADHD in the schools: assessment and intervention strategies,
London, UK: Guilford Press, 2003. Print.
Grad, Flick L. Managing ADHD in the K-8 Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide, London, UK: Corwin Press, 2010. Print.
McDonald, Wayne. Dangerous Side Effects of ADHD Medications. 2010. Web. 9th April. 2011.
< http://www. mental-health-matters. com/index. php? option= com_content&view= article&id= 1355: dangerous-side-effects-of-adhd-medications&catid= 179: addadhd-medications&Itemid= 1636>