Parenting is something that no-one person is an expert and that no expert can tell you how to do it. If a person’s child is an absolute angel, does nothing wrong, and gets straight A’s; parenting still is difficult. When a child has a disorder such as ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactive disorder), the child needs much more from the parent than most parents bargain for. Parenting roles for a child with ADHD change greatly; from the time that a parent needs to spend helping the child tie their shoe, or taking the child out for a run in the park. ADHD is not a very easy concept to define, that being because there is no medical proof that the disorder exists. There is no test or questionnaire a child can take to prove that he/she is suffering from this disorder. “There are no objective diagnostic criteria for ADHD – no physical symptoms, no neurobiological signs, and no blood test. Despite claims to the contrary, there are no brain scans findings and no biochemical imbalances. No physical test can be done to verify that a child has ADHD”(Breggin 144). A child taking drugs that suffers from ADHD has many side affects that come along with it. Side affects that a parents needs to be aware of, and educated about so they can be taken care of the right way. Over the past 10-20 years, the use of Ritalin in this country has jumped to extreme levels. It is odd to think that maybe it is not advancements in testing for this disorder, or a question of being able to solve a problem that cannot be solved. It is that parents don’t have the time or the effort to spend with their children. The age is approaching when women will be as independent financially as men are. It has forever been accustomed for women to stay at home and care for the children of a family. Now there are women who want to establish their careers, but it is impossible for them to do that with a child to take care of. A parent with an ADHD child must altar their normal way of parenting, even if the parent had previous kids that were normal.

A question that is frequently asked and is yet, almost impossible to answer is, “what is ADHD?” “Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neuropsychological impairment experienced by some 2 million children-3 to 5% of the school-age population.”(Seagal 263) The symptoms that exist with ADHD vary from day to day and from situation to situation. Some symptoms are as simple as not being able to pay attention in class, or excessive daydreaming. Some of the drugs that a child takes with ADHD are Ritalin, Adderall, Dexidrine, and Cylert. All of these drugs have major side effects such as the Zombie effect, depression, tics, rebound-effect, and suppressed hunger. Ritalin is the most common of drug used among ADHD children. There is no real in depth research showing what long-term affects this drug has on children except that it is highly addictive and like most medication, can cause problems with the liver. Ritalin is most intended for an overactive child who has a hard time concentrating on one thing at a time. “The use of stimulant medication has been remarkably effective in ameliorating the poor attention, social behavior, and other troublesome symptomatology of ADHD children.”(Vaughan 145) This means that the drug slows down the child’s thinking so that the child can concentrate on a single thing. It is hard to imagine what it is like to live with ADHD, but it is harder to imagine what it is like being on stimulants with ADHD.

It is difficult for a parent to deal with a child that suffers from ADHD. Most parents want to blame themselves for their child’s problem. Some have a hard time finding patients to work with their child. “ADHD is a complex disorder. It has an impact on the child at home, at school, and in the community.”(Rubin 44) Most children when they first hear a diagnosis would probably feel very confused, or maybe feel as if they are being punished. It is the parent’s job to help the child understand that it is something that can be over come and can be helped with time and effort. “It is essential that medical providers, physicians, children, and their parents discuss the goals of the treatment and the main issues or symptoms it targets.”(Rubin 48) This is important because it isn’t as simple as giving a child the stimulants and then all of the problems go away and everything is fine. The stimulants are there to help control the child’s action and hyperactive nature, so the parent or teacher can target their concentration. Parents need to know that their roles as the care giver becomes more important with a child that has ADHD. “ADHD is a complex, multi-determined disorder that can impact almost every aspect of a child’s life. Therefore, treatment planning should include parents, teachers, school nurses, and all appopriate medical and mental health providers. Thoughtful use of medications in children have been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of ADHD. Partnerships in the care of ADHD require consistent communication among providers and the child and his or her family.”(Rubin 51)

It is very strange to think that just over the past 10-20 years that there have been more children born with ADHD than in years before that. Many factors could contribute to the over-use or over diagnosis of stimulants in America today. Many things have changed or are changing in our society. One major change would be women’s roles in society. That aren’t as they were 20 years ago. Years ago women did not have careers and did not have a burden to make money. Women today have full time jobs, and a career is the most things important to them. Not saying that women today are not as good as mothers 20 years ago; but the American women has changed greatly. Instead of a child coming home from school and being able to go to a park and play, they have to go to a after school daycare center where they sit inside and do homework. Day Cares have become an easy babysitter for parents who both have full time jobs. Kids as young as 3 years old stay at day care from 6 o’clock in the morning until 6 o’clock at night. Where in this child’s life do they get to go outside and really run off all of that energy that all little kids have inside of them. It is an age of “quick fixes”, and giving a child Ritalin is a “quick fix”. As a society, we expect children to sit for 7 hours in a classroom environment with little exercise and pay attention the entire time. I am sure that most children day dream a lot during class, does that mean that they need a mind altering drug to make them pay attention all the time. Parenting today has become parenting on the fly. Parents today lack a major involvement in their child’s lives. Parents also need to understand that after the diagnosis the problem is not fixed. Parents need to spend time with the child and help them understand what the drug is helping them control. “However, they are told that there are ways to learn how to deal with the impairment and that medications may help. It is important that the child understand that the medication alone will not make him or her “behave” or get good grades. However, it can help control impulses so the child can make better choices about their behavior. That is the overall goal of treatment for a child with ADHD.” It is a horrible thing to say or think but it is apparent is some parts of our society children have become a second priority. In a way, Ritalin for children is like fast food. It is quick and easy and it solves the problem quickly. Thinking about what the fast food is doing for your health, much as thinking about what Ritalin is doing for your child, it is rarely thought about. Yet, eating fast food quick fixes your hunger, just like Ritalin quick fixes your child’s problems at school.

ADHD is a very difficult and confusing disorder to deal with when it comes to your children. It is hard to establish is looking out a window or active behavior is just natural for your child, or if your child has a problem. Many drugs can help a child settle down and concentrate better. These drugs should be used for a temporary purpose only; where the goal is to be able to function properly without taking them. Parents and children all have a difficult time dealing with ADHD. It takes time and a lot of hard work between the child and the parents. “While parenting is the hardest job of them all, there’s no hope for our children unless parents retake responsibility from the “experts” and determine for themselves to take the most sensible, effective, and loving approach to their children. We may seek professional guidance but we must never relinquish parental intuition, common sense, or love.”(Breggin 288)