Overprescribing Of Stimulants For ADHD Case Study - 969 Words

Overprescribing of Stimulants for ADHD The most extensively studied childhood neurobehavioral disorder is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is a chronic condition that occurs in about 8% of children and youth (Harstad Levy, 2014). Stimulant medications (i.e. methylphenidate and amphetamine) are very effective in decreasing the core symptoms of ADHD (Harstad Levy, 2014). Due to the increasing rates of stimulant prescriptions, there is now controversy on whether overdiagnosis of ADHD in youth and consequent overprescribing of stimulant medications truly exist. Author’s Perspective and Personal Experience Regarding the Issue Before 1970, the ADHD diagnosis was rare for school-age children (1%) and relatively†¦show more content†¦How to Limit Overprescribing, Misuse, Abuse, and Diversion Being a pediatric operating room nurse, I often take care of patients who are diagnosed with ADHD and is undergoing medical and behavioral treatments for their disorder. In my ten years of nursing experience, I have not encountered a patient who has misused, abused, or diverted their stimulant prescription, or at least not that I know of or it is not noted in their charts. According to Harstad and Levy (2014), misuse and diversion (i.e. giving away, trading, or selling) of stimulant medications are more widespread problems than abuse or addiction. Although methylphenidate and amphetamine both have abuse potential, there is very little evidence that these medications are abused by the patient to whom they are prescribed for. Moreover, about 16-23% of school-aged children have reported that they have been approached to by another person to give, sell, or trade their prescription stimulant (Harstad Levy, 2014). Friends and family members are the most frequent source of diverted medica tions (Harstad Levy, 2014). To prevent overprescription of stimulants, pediatricians or other primary care providers should seek to accurately diagnose ADHD and treat symptoms appropriately byShow MoreRelatedAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd )3421 Words   |  14 PagesIn the previous years, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become more widely accepted as a relatively common disorder in the United States. With that, 8.8% of children were diagnosed in 2011 compared to 7% in 2007 (Pomeroy, 2013). However, as the rise in diagnostics has increased, so has the level of controversy. Many people question whether or not ADHD is overly diagnosed in the adolescent, which leads to an over-prescription of psychological attention and pharmaceuticals. BecauseRead MoreUse Of Stimulants For The Treatment Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( Adhd )1891 Words   |  8 Pages The question of the validity of the use of stimulants for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly connected to the question of attempting to balance the effectiveness of the drugs and the dangers inherent in their use. ADHD is a problematic mental and behavioral disorder especially among children and it is very important that we as a society find an effective method to treat it with the least amount of adverse effects to patients. It is a very good questionRead MoreThe Effects Of Aspartame On The Aids Hotline946 Words   |  4 Pagesfor Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). Ritalin, like Adderall, is a stimulant that produces virtually the same effects as amphetamines. Now, Americans consume approximately 90% of the world’s Ritalin. Certainly, there are children that seem to benefit from these drugs, but there’s clearly a profit motive that results in unnecessary prescriptions. Some studies estimate that as many as 1,000 ,000 American children are misdiagnosed for ADHD. ADHD drugs are popular with adolescents for all