ADHD, Affecting Children

In order to diagnose, these symptoms must occur more frequent than children of the same age and must occurring more than one sitting. 90% of ADHD patients take Ritalin, a mild central nervous system stimulant believed to calm hyperactivity by helping the brain disregard distracting stimuli, " ADHD has been estimated to affect 3% to 5% of school-age children nation wide, with less than 3% actually receiving medication," said Gretchen LeFever, a pediatric psychologist, on an Internet column. Gretchen Leveler's research found that 8% to 10% of children in second through fifth grades routinely took ADHD medication in school during 1995-1996 school year. LeFever also conducted another study, which she examined records of student enrolled in the second through fifth grade once again, but she chose two specific cities this time, Portsmouth and Virginia Beach. She chose these two cities, because they are the most diverse cities in Virginia, Portsmouth is a small, urban, poor, mostly black district, while Virginia Beach, Virginia is a larger, more wealthy, and mostly white district. LeFever and her researchers found that ADHD medication was used three times as many boys as with girls" and twice as many whites as blacks. The researchers also found that the use of medication increased as the children aged. By fifth grade, 19% to 20% of white boys received ADHD medication. Scientists do not know what causes ADHD, however, they have discredited many theories that ADHD was a result from minor head injuries or undetectable brain damage due to infections or complications during birth. Another theory blamed the consumption of refined sugar and food additives, a study was done and it's showed that very few ADHD children benefited from a special diet. Another theory junked was the theory of bad parenting a dysfunctional home life." Controversy exists over the diagnosis of ADHD. Physicians in the United States diagnose the disorder more often than doctors elsewhere in the world," contributed Michael Woods to Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia.