Part #16- School Accommodation and Modification Ideas for Students who Receive Special Education Services

NASET ADHD SERIES

Introduction

This issue of NASET’s ADHD Series was written by Kerri Beisner.  In the article, the author addresses the fact that the prevalence of ADHD in school age children has greatly increased over the past 20 years- and the United States is the leading country with this disability diagnosis.  The treatment of ADHD, through prescription medications, has proved to be a growing business, as doctors, parents, and educators are being recommended to use these forms of treatment for children that identify with some of the loose qualifications of ADHD.  As the drug companies are using these recommendations for their benefit some children, then, are recommended to take drugs that they don’t necessarily need.  With a leading number of ADHD diagnoses, doctors are quickly turning to the pharmaceutical companies for ways to treat these children.  Research has shown, however, that these prescription medications can have both short term and long term effects on an individual.  By medicating young children that, in other countries may not even qualify as having ADHD, individuals are not learning how to cope and manage their differences in a healthy or natural way.  These young children could potentially grow into adults that are only familiar with how to live with their ADHD medication and are unsure of how they should act and feel off of their medication; medication that they may not have needed growing up.  In treating the symptoms of ADHD, there are many different supplements and strategies that can effectively be used in place of prescription medication.  These natural alternatives, however, are not recommended by doctors, as they do not make the pharmaceutical companies a profit.  The over diagnoses and over treatment of ADHD in the United States, therefore, becomes a case of profit vs. prudence.

 

 

NASET Members - Login to access this issue of the NASET ADHD Series - or if you are not a member Join NASET Today

forgot username or password?