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With treatment of any kind, there are side effects and those side effects can be even worse if the patient is misdiagnosed, especially in children and adolescence. IN ADHD, the prefrontal cortex is the area affected. It is necessary to have the right balance of Dopamine and Norepinephrine for the PFC to function properly. “The PFC is critical for the regulation of behavior, attention, and cognition†(Advokat, 2014 Page 523), and say if there were some abnormality to the PFC, the child would have difficulty with attention and behaviors. However, if it is not ADHD and the child is treated for it, the behaviors could, in fact, be amplified and worsen.
Sometimes the side effects might outweigh the benefits of the medication, and those need to be addressed when the medication is prescribed. A teen girl may be extremely resistant to a medication that may cause her to gain weight or have acne outbreaks and hair loss, which are common side effects of many medications, such as Depakote. It is extremely important if medications are going to be prescribed, that regular check-up, counseling, and reviewing of treatment plans take place so that any changes can be addressed on a regular basis.
I was 13 when I was diagnosed with bipolar and anxiety disorder, I had been acting out impulsively, getting in trouble at school, and was arrested for shoplifting. As a result of getting arrested, I had to attend a couple counseling sessions with a community youth service counselor. After several sessions, I was diagnosed. They called in my mother and step-father, explaining the illness, what it meant, what I needed to do and where to begin. My parents refused to let me get treatment, stating I was only being a brat and did not need an excuse to get out of my punishment. My teen years were very rough on me as a result of not receiving treatment. I suffered long bouts of depression with forced isolation from my parents, self-harmed, attempted suicide and other behaviors that are typical of people with untreated bipolar. That is the risk of not getting treatment or the wrong treatment, for any mental illness. I was lucky that I did not do anything to jeopardize my future, but I owe that to my finding of the right church for me, helping me learn that my illness was a tool for me to be able to help others, that my story might just help someone with the pain that comes with mental illness. Others have not always been so lucky in escaping from the consequences of untreated, or misdiagnosed psychiatric disorders, such as the debacle of prescribing certain SSRI’s to teens and young adults who responded with violent behaviors as a result.
Advokat, C. D., Comaty, J. E., & Julien, R. M. (2014). Julien’s primer of drug action: A comprehensive guide to the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs (13th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
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Maybe I have a different opinion from many people, but I believe that children before starting medications prescribed by the doctor, should try to take therapy that are often excellent and help a lot. It is common now to see children under medication for any disorder they have. I supervise 5 schools and it’s sad to see that perhaps 50% of our children are on medication. Many of these children do not really need the medication and I say it because at school they do not misbehave, they concentrate in what they have to do daily and they participate in everything in the classroom, but the first thing many parents say is, “This child in my house is an earthquake.” They give their children medication at home and children spend all day sleeping. Not all parents do this, but the majority. Therapies can help the child without the need of medications. Many medications worsen the behavior of the child, if the therapy does not work then you can turn to the right medicines as prescribed by a doctor. Advokat, C. D., (2014).
It is important that the diagnosis of children is thoroughly correct because in this way the medicine prescribed will be appropriate and help the child to improve in all aspects, especially in their school performance. There are medicines that have negative reactions on the behavior of children and sometimes it is because the child has not been diagnosed correctly, therefore the medicine is also wrong. When a person is misdiagnosed and stops medications on time, any damage done by medications may improve over time with therapies, but parents should be careful not to take this risk. Before starting to give medicines to children, parents should seek a second opinion if they feel that the diagnosis is not correct.
If the child is not diagnosed early, the symptoms become more noticeable as the child grows and his academic performance drops. For example behavior in a child with ADHD may be affected by the environment around the child. There are children who are verbally abused in their homes and even in schools. There is also a high genetic risk such as if the child’s father has ADHD. The symptoms of this disorder last until adolescence and adulthood.
One of the medications that I have been able to see that are good for the ADHD disorder is adderall XR or mixed salts amphetamine XR. This medication has helped children in my school to have better concentration and better academic performance. This medicine works on the nervous system stimulating the activity. This medication causes an increase in neurotransmitters in the brain.
Side effects of adderall include dizziness, headache, irritability, also heart problem and hair loss. When the drug is used for a long time of period, the person may develop dependence, therefore it is important that the patient is under medical supervision and that the medication is prescribed. This medicine does not harm the brain.
ADHD Medicines. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/ritalin.html?WT.ac=pairedLink
Advokat, C. D., Comaty, J. E., & Julien, R. M. (2014). Julien’s primer of drug action: A comprehensive guide to the actions, uses, and side effects of psychoactive drugs (13th ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers.
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