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Attention Deficit Disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder


For centuries children have been grounded, beaten, or even killed for
ignoring the rules or not listening to what they're told. In the past it was
thought these "bad" kids were the products of bad parenting, bad environment, or
simply being stubborn, however it is now known that many of these children may
have had Attention Deficit Disorder, or A. D. D., and could've been helped. A.
D. D. is a syndrome that affects millions of children and adults in the United
States and is a very frustrating and confusing syndrome that often goes
undiagnosed.
While there is no clear-cut definition of A. D. D., it's known that it's
a genetic disorder that affects males more often than females, in a 3:1 ratio,
and is marked by a classic triad of symptoms, which are impulsivity,
distractibility, and hyperactivity (Hallowell 6). There are two general types
of A. D. D., the stereotypical, high-energy, hyperactive group, and the less
known underactive ones that often daydream and are never mentally present
anywhere. Typically, people with A. D. D. are very likable and are usually very
emphatic, intuitive, and compassionate, however they have very unstable moods
that can range from an extreme high to an extreme low instantly, for no apparent
reason. Usually, they procrastinate often and have trouble finishing projects,
while conversely, they can hyperfocus at times and accomplish tasks more quickly
and efficiently than a normal person could. Often they have short tempers and
lack the impulse to stop themselves from blowing up over minor details
(Hallowell 10).
Although A. D. D. has just recently been discovered and there is still
relatively little known about it, it has an interesting history. In 1902,
George Frederic Still first thought that the dilemma of problem children was a
biological defect inherited from an injury at birth and not the result of bad
parenting. In the 1930's and '40's stimulant drugs were first used to...