Atention Deficit Disorder Pandemic Essay -- mental illness, children,

According to the Ameri domiciliate Academy of Pediatrics (2004), that 3-5% of children have had make sense/ minimal brain damage systematically since the 1940s, although over 15% of children in school take ADD/ADHD prescriptions every day. In which a large portion of the diagnosis ar approach path straight from the General physician. Family physicians are rarely trained to identify mental illnesses but instead of leaving their scope of practice they diagnose their patient irresponsibly. Misdiagnoses for ADD/ADHD are fairly common since the guidelines of the mental illness is vague and can easily be mistaken for a child just playing immature for his grade. A study done by Michigan State University economist Elder (2010) statesNearly 1 million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder simply because they are the youngest -- and most immature -- in their class. Around forty percent of people diagnosed with ADD/ADHD t ruly have ADD/ADHD the other 60% of the patients possibly dont have add/adhd, even though they were diagnosed with it. The truth is when a doctor tries to treat add/adhd in the misdiagnosed patient, the patient is usually prescribed an NRI or a psychoactive stimulant like (Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, etc). These meds can accomplishment amazing for people who truly have ADD but when the diagnosis is wrong, the the medications can create a damaging effect on the patients neurotransmitters. When I swan damaging, I mean neurotoxicity and down regulation to mostly Dopamine but may also affect Serotonin, GABA and even acetylcholine. The damaging effects can be permanent if meds are taken too long. If you have a heart problem you dont go to your normal family physician but a heart specialist which specializ... ... psychiatric medications only after a diagnosis has been made by a licensed psychiatric specialist. This way people wont be discouraged from seeking out mental help due to fin ancial problems. A psychiatrist can be expensive if insurance doesnt vertebral column every visit, so allowing a general physician to write prescriptions after a diagnosis would be far more reasonable on the pocketbook of all patients. Children with mental disorders shouldnt have to be treated with dangerous drugs unless the treatment truly fits the diagnosis.Work Cited Todd E. Elder The importance of relative standards in ADHD diagnoses https//msu.edu/telder/2010-JHE.pdf