Case Study #1
Edward
4 1/2 year-old preschooler
Diagnosed with ADHD, currently on medication (Ritalin)
Think Tank:
In the recent years, ADHD has received attention in the media including television and internet. How have media depicted ADHD? To what extent do you agree with these sources of information?
(please provide links if you are refering to specific websites).
34 comments:
Let's hear from everyone :-)
Television and the print media described ADHD as a minor issue. Its solutions are for all the schoolchildren to line up for their Ritalin instead of love from their parents. In addition, the country mental health center will be another alternative to solve all the problems. I seriously do not agree with these depictions. Ritalin is a psychostimulant medication and it can only help children with ADHD to be less aggressive and do actions in a slower motion. However, the medication is not a long term solution. There are side effects to this medication. The child will suffer from drowsiness, dizziness,stomach pain, loss of appetite or even symptoms of liver problem. Instead, I propose that their parents should go for early intervention when the child shows symptoms of ADHD. Alternatively, they can go for counseling with a behavioral specialist as soon as the child is diagnosed with ADHD. During the counseling, there will be appropriate therapy and behavioral management techniques for both parties.
(Blog by Madeline Tan)
In recent years, the media has created awareness to the public on ADHD, both positively and negatively. With the help of the media, Individual with ADHD and their families may receive more help, support and assistance from the public. However, the media often provides the wrong information about ADHD, some of these includes; ADHD as a myth; individuals with ADHD are just lazy; or that these individuals diagnosed with ADHD can be cure through cutting down on the intake of sugar or by taking medicine like Ritalin.
From the knowledge I gained through Special needs module, I am fully aware that ADHD is a disorder that cannot be cure, however it can be manage with the help of behavioral therapist, management strategies and by taking medicine like Ritalin that can manage the “active symptom” in severe cases. Therefore I feel that the above information provided by the media are just myths, but it may course families or individuals with ADHD to have the wrong conception of stopping therapies or special assistance that is beneficial for them.
Tan Wei Wei Crystal
I truly feel that media, especially television programs and internet resources will greatly influence a person’s perception. Previously, through some documentary programs and most internet resources I had formed the perception that ADHD is much more common among boys than girls. However, though this module, I realized that this is a misconception which most people have created due to the influence of media. The numbers of boys as compared to girls who have ADHD are actually fairly equal. Media have the information that more boys than girls have ADHD because symptoms of ADHD are less obvious in girls than in boys. This resulted in higher numbers of boys being suspected of having ADHD as they manifest the symptoms of ADHD. The website I included below is an Adobe document which I feel is reliable and accurate. This document clearly explained and showed the researches done to diagnose children with ADHD. Most importantly, it provided explanations about the factors that may have resulted in lesser number of girls being diagnosed of having ADHD. URL: http://www.tweelingenregister.org/nederlands/verslaggeving/NTR_publicaties_2006/Derks_Compr_Psych_2006.pdf
In addition, there are several website that greatly advertise about the benefit of Ritalin for children with ADHD. I feel that such website will influence parents’ decision to a great extent. It may cause them to foresee the benefits and overlook side effects like loss of appetite which may lead to other undesirable problems. This website provided detail information about the long and short term effects of Ritalin. URL: http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/Drug_guide/Ritalin. Therefore, I feel that it is important for parents to understand the condition of their child with ADHD, measure the benefits and side effects of prescribing Ritalin and distinguish the best for their child. I find this website: http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/apr2000/rit-a25.shtml beneficial for parents as it highlight the importance of meeting children’s needs, the misconception and dilemma faced by parents whose child has ADHD.
Best regards,
Tan Yi Jun
Group A
This is as quoted from a website, “Most often, stimulant medications are used to treat ADHD. These medications are effective for people of all ages, although more research is needed on how adults respond. In general, stimulant medications improve symptoms in about 70% of people who have ADHD.7 There are often quick and dramatic improvements in behavior”. from: http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/guide/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-medications
To a large extent, I feel that such assertions from the internet resource is misleading to parents and may encourage some parents to administer medicine to their children with ADHD, in hope of instantaneous results. Also, as some medications may not work for certain children, it may require the trial of a few types of medications to put the ADHD condition under control. As such, I feel that medicine may be detrimental to children’s health as they may have side-effects like headaches or stomachaches. Children with ADHD who consume medicines may have to depend on it for the rest of their life. I feel that more appropriate and beneficial forms of helping children with ADHD include therapies, good classroom strategies and support from parents.
Recently, adult ADHD has gotten lots of media attention and as ADHD get more serious in adulthood, it may even lead to depression.The fact is that adult ADHD always occur in childhood and carries on into adulthood. from: http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/articles/news/adult_adhd_news_0907.php
With this awareness of adult ADHD from the media, I feel that we educators play a large part to influence a child with ADHD so that the condition can be brought under control and not deteoriorate further in their adulthood. Many of the strategies which we have discussed in class such as creating stimulating activities to keep them engaged or even buddy system can be implemented in class to regulate the behavior of children with ADHD. Above all, I feel that educators should satisfy the emotional needs of these children by accepting and loving them. When we satisfy the social-emotional needs of children with ADHD, it will be easier to develop all other areas of their developments. Thus, they may be able to cope better in their life.
Toh Jingfen Yvette
I feel that media has mostly depicted children with ADHD to be disruptive of class sessions and activities. Most institute has recommended the prescription of Ritalin to subdue the hyperactivity of children diagnosed with ADHD.
"Research has shown that ADHD symptoms, especially hyperactivity and impulsivity, tend to decline during a child’s adolescent years, although these symptoms do not necessarily disappear." (from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2008/age-related-decline-of-adhd-symptoms-disrupted-by-middle-school.shtml) I feel that this further elevates parents' concern to treat their children using medication.
In this article, it is stated that medication is a better "cure" for ADHD rather than behavioral management. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2007/improvement-following-adhd-treatment-sustained-in-most-children.shtml
Nonethelss, I still feel that we should not neglect the use of behavioral management techniques in the classroom. The side effects of medication may impact on the children's daily tasks. As teachers, we should also play our part to introduce behavioral management techniques.
- Ng Siew Chin -
Hey ladies, do take time to browse the websites! Interesting findings and reports ...
Heidi
So far, we have only heard a handful of views.
What about the rest? What are your views?
I think that within the Singaporean context, the media has portrayed ADHD both in a positive and negative manner...
POSITIVE:
Television documentaries has been created and shown on Channel 5 and Channel News Asia - helping to develop an awareness of ADHD and how individuals with ADHD cope with day-to-day tasks.
In my opinion, those who do get to catch these documentaries can learn more about these individuals and become more tolerant of them in society. However, the issue here is that not ALL Singaporeans catch these shows. I admit that i am guilty of missing a few of these programmes myself.
But it is comforting to know that the Mediacorp is putting in more efforts into creating documentaries that focus on the strengths of individuals with disabilities (ADHD included) and placing these shows at evening time slots when everyone can watch.
NEGATIVE:
If anything, Singaporean should be more wary of tabloids as it usually focuses on other irrelevant issues when it comes to individuals with ADHD. Some examples include a detailed description of their 'misbehavior'.
I will not say that taking care of individuals with ADHD is an easy task but then again, if we continue to view them negatively, then we will have a difficult time accepting them for who they are.
definitely! kids with ADHD or any other types of special needs are very often misconstrued.
are there any examples of local news clippings or documentaries guilty of that?
Many websites can be found on the internet depicting ADHD. Some information seemingly accurate, while others not so.
Prior to attending this particular module, I have always thought that children with ADHD find it hard to focus. In the following website, www.emedicinehealth.com/attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder/article_em.htm, it is being depicted that “Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), also known as attention deficit disorder (ADD), is a condition in which a person's inability to focus and concentrate on a task or purpose interferes with his or her ability to be productive.” I beg to differ. We have learnt in class that children with ADHD are in fact too attentive to everything that they do not filter things out. I feel that as educators, we can probably help them by enabling them to find focus in a certain area of interest. One very recent example would be Michael Phelps, who was diagnosed with ADHD as a child, yet he managed to find his focus in swimming, and went on to achieving great results in the area. (www.add.about.com/cs/addthebasics/a/inthenews.htm)
Some myths that people may gain through the media about ADHD are: ADHD is not a real disorder; ADHD is a disorder of childhood; ADHD is over-diagnosed; children with ADHD are over-medicated; poor parenting causes ADHD; minority children are over-diagnosed with ADHD and are over-medicated; girls have lower rates and less severe ADHD than boys. (www.help4adhd.org/en/about/myths) Other additional misconceptions that people may have about ADHD are that food addictives and diet, and too much television or video games cause ADHD. (www.adhdlibrary.org/library/adhd-myths-and-misconceptions) However, as mentioned in these websites and according to what we have learnt in school, I agree that all these aforesaid points are indeed myths and are not proven scientifically.
Nevertheless, I feel that in the recent years, due to the increase in education, people are becoming more knowledgeable. They are also able to have a better understanding and awareness of the disorder. The websites on the internet and television shows now are also giving more accurate information about ADHD. Thus, people are also able to get more precise information about it through the media.
Evie Huang
i feel that media is a good source to reach to the mass. the information spread through media may or may not be true and so a person should always be cautious and ready to critique whatever they see or read.
while browsing through the net,i found a website that claims that ADHD can be 'banished'. now, we all know that this isnt true, for a person with ADHD will have to live with it throughout his entire life. he/she will need to work around the ADHD, but it can never be totally banished, as stated in this website. it also claims that ADHD can be treated without the use of drugs, just diet.
i guess this is an interesting website to check out. i feel that most of what is there is bogus.
check it out.
http://www.treatadhdnaturally.com/
siti rahmah
As highlighted in our lecture that ADHD has no physical or lab markers, its symptoms that children with ADHD display may be read as misbehaviour or being defiant as they are often unable to comply with rules.
However, with the media highlighting ADHD in recent years, it may have brought about awareness about this issue. However, media often bring about misconceptions about ADHD such as taking medication e.g. Ritalin is the best way to cope as they believe medication help children focus and thus, be more successful at school. Many people are unaware that these forms of medication brings about negative side effects on the child such as decreased appetite, insomnia, increased anxiety, and/or irritability. Some children report mild stomach aches or headaches.
There are other types of treatment for ADHD such as behavioural treatment, or in some cases, the combination of behavioural treatment and medical management so children can be successfully treated with lower dosages of medication.
You may refer to the following website for information in regard to 'The Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder'.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd/treatment.shtml
Cai Xiena Sara
The media depicts ADHD as a cause for many behavioral issues and many times, these issues are rather difficult to handle and stresses caregivers out. The media also depicts children with ADHD as active and often aggressive.
Ritalin has been seen as a solution for ADHD. No doubt that it may bring down the signs of ADHD, but it must not be seen as an end in itself. Behavioral management and family and school support have to be considered as well. There are many faces of ADHD and children with ADHD may not necessarily display hyperactivity.
Ritalin may seem to be an effective medication, but let's not forget the side effects that it brings.
Low Shilin Jacelyn
More and more of my relatives and friends talk about students with ADHD. Many of them strongly believe that ADHD is just an “excuse” for trouble makers or people who just simply do as well as others in class (Well, they definitely haven’t met the kid yet…).
As I was browsing through the websites, I realized there are many sites about proving that ADHD is a condition and not otherwise.
http://whydiagnoseadhd.com/ --> Scroll down to “Does ADD really exist?”
I thought it might be interesting to share about misconceptions people have about ADHD, which I also thought some are hard to differentiate between facts and myths. I think the public ought to know these facts, especially misconceptions of using Ritalin. There are many websites about the myths and facts on ADHD.
Myth 1: Affecting more boys than girls
In a local family magazine, there was a sentence about the widespread of ADHD “Three to 10 per cent of all school children and affects more boys than girls”.
As disruptive behaviours are one of the main reasons that children get identified, more boys are identified because… well… you’ve been to school yourself.
Myth 2: Too much sugar and other food additive caused ADHD
Very few children with ADHD are helped by special diet.
Myth 3: Children will become addicted to the stimulant drugs or will be more likely to be exposed to other drugs when they grow up.
Ritalin does not cause addiction or dependency on the drug.
You can view the other myths and facts at these websites:
http://www.addconsults.com/articles/full.php3?id=1030
http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=1091
http://www.adhdinfo.com/info/faqs/myths.jsp?usertrack.filter_applied=true&NovaId=3350119524833403553
vet = Koh Feng Yan Yvette, Grp B
I agree with Yvette!! More and more of my relatives are discussing about ADHD too. They got too worried and keep on linking their child's behavior to the "ADHD signs". I am surprised by their knowledge and when i asked them they will say, "This website said these...this tv program showed these.."
Personally, I feel that the media has overrated the ADHD problem. There are discussions, debates, worries and consultations all over in the media and internet. Everyone is aware of ADHD and its symptoms. A choice of treatment, Ritalin, has become a one-way-solution. ADHD has become one of the primary explanations for misbehaving schoolchildren in our society.
> ADHD has become the ubiquitous way we view problems of children's behavior and performance.
> Centers for Disease Control report 2.5 million children take a medication for ADHD, most research epidemiologists say the number is closer to 4 million.
> Medication insurance clearinghouse report that shows nearly 1 in 10 11-year-old white boys is currently treated with a stimulant such as Ritalin.
> The amount of legal stimulants used as medication and produced in U.S has grown 2,000 percent in the last 15 years.
> The United States consumes 80 percent of the world's legal stimulant drugs (this does not include our use of illegal stimulants like cocaine or methamphetamine).
> It is very interesting that this is a big issue in the U.S but not in other countries: they believed that it is common for children to have those traits.
Therefore the question is: does ADHD really exist?
I think everyone is overreacting.
Nurul Izzah
Group B
I feel that the media is a very powerful tool to help bring a message across. However, I feel that there is still very little exposure on what ADHD is to people who are not in the education field.
For instance, I remember my diploma classmate once told me that she suspects her nephew is ADHD as he shows the signs of ADHD like having trouble focusing, always very active etc. However, when she tell her aunt about it, her aunt replied that kids are all the same; playful, active, and they will outgrow it which in my opinion is a myth and it is not true.
There are many other myths that the media reported, like children are down with ADHD due to the high sugar intake, and that children will outgrow of ADHD. For more myths, you can go to (www.adhdinfo.com/parents_caregivers/pc_mythsfacts.jsp?usertrack.filter_applied=true&NovaId=7852773795533940703)
I feel that media is not exactly reliable and we have to consult the experts when in doubt because the report may be bias. I remembered Dr Nancy said that we should not fully trust all the sources that we find online as there are cases whereby pharmacy collaborates with these online support groups and claim that medicine is a good solution to ADHD so as to earn money.
Michelle Tan Yi Ni
What a lively discussion on this topic. I think we all are concerned about the media's sensationalizing of ADHD. The comments on the blog reflect a myriad of interventions that should be part of the treatment of ADHD and not solely relying on medication.
Nancy
I feel that in the local context, the “attention” given to ADHD is not as great as compared to our western counterparts. Perhaps, we are less open to discuss this issue openly.
Nevertheless, in the recent years, I could see that government is trying to educate the public and heighten their awareness about children with special needs through drama serials, documentary shows and print media. For instance, the print media would interview parents whom children have special needs and invite them to share about their problems and how they cope with them.
In addition, I feel that the internet has played a big part in providing information on ADHD to the public. One very good example would be the links posted by my peers. After reading some of these links, my knowledge on ADHD has broadened :)
Cai Wanqin
In the recent years, through the various forms of media, it has helped the public to gain a better awareness of various disabilities. However, I feel that some of the information given is not as accurate. In one of the articles that I’ve come across online [http://www.pachealthholdings.com/arh/library_adhd.html] has mentioned that Children with ADHD may encounter difficulties with reasoning, problem solving, and general problems solving ability. In my opinion, I do not think that all children with ADHD encounter difficulties in these areas. I do agree with these depictions to a certain extent, because the symptom of ADHD varies from one another. It is not necessary that every child with ADHD behaves the same way. Media only give a general overview of ADHD, which sometimes may be misleading for the public as we may assume that all individuals with ADHD will exhibit the same symptom.
I feel that television and the print media have always been a great influence in our lives. They can pose both positive and negative impacts. Positive impacts-there's once a program that show a family with a child with ADHD and how a professional can help the mother to handle the child: 1) Increasing number of people are aware of ADHD 2) more people understand that children with ADHD are not children who are difficult to handle. With appropriate behavioural strategies, children with ADHD can be 'good' children too. Negative impacts: 1) children with ADHD are always on the move. 2) It will take your life to look after them 3) They are children on drugs.
I am unsure about this but it seems like other countries seem to be more open or they use more of medication on children with ADHD. Does Singapore use medication too? However, i disagree with using medication. I feel that children with ADHD can be 'controlled'and the teachers play a great part in educating the parents about ADHD. Parents should know where they can turn to for information and having supports will definitely help them alot.
o00orinao00o
Before I go on to express my views on ADHD, I would like to mention that ADHD has gained more attention on the internet, rather than local media. I have read countless articles on special needs such as dyslexia, Down syndrome, and most recently, the debate on alternative therapies for autism.
However, I have rarely come across ADHD in local newspapers and channels. The only one I read was a forum article by a concerned parent and one asking for parents and schools to work together.
That aside, the internet does have several resources on ADHD, both reliable and those that seem to be written by my ten year old neighbour- very very misleading information. A quick search on the internet reveals articles on symptoms, strategies and the much discussed ‘medical and alternative therapies’ like ritalin and neurofeedback.
Definitions of ADHD and strategies to undertake vary from website to website. The most absurd layman description I found was that ADHD is caused because children have too many talents and just get bored in school. From the way the author put it, I probably have ADHD too!
Doesn't the author realise the impact on the readers when she phrases her thoughts wrongly? Only after going on to read the article does the author begin to state the brief definition and strategies. The worst part is, the author apparently has an M. Ed and is a certified teacher and learning specialist. :/
Personally, I believe that although the internet is a convenient resource, it can be very misleading and unreliable. There are countless websites on ADHD, but how many of them can we actually trust?
Let’s forget about using the internet as the teacher. I agree that the mass media and the internet have the power to influence the thoughts of people, but it’s up to us whether we would want to be gullible or be wary.
Ignorance is bliss, but not all the time.
Shron
Websites:
http://news.asiaone.com/News/The+Straits+Times/Story/A1Story20071116-37125.html
http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Online%2BStory/STIStory_178249.html
Absurd layman definition- (http://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/14667/education/addadhd___developing_confidence_in_school.html)
Neurofeedback- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYLtM0RrIJU
Hu Huazhen Dawn Group B
I believe that the media coverage has portrayed both positive and negative traits of ADHD. In recent years, media has been noting how pharmaceutical makers are targeting the global ADHD market by launching new medicine like Strattera (atomoxetine) and profiting from overprescribing ADHD medicine. However, due to over- emphasis on the use of Ritalin on ADHD by the media, there has been little description of other drug therapy, its effects and the focus on bringing consistency in the brain function, not their behavior. Parents as well, are unable to comprehend the different treatments needed for their child and stay in agony or denial for years. Likewise, there has been a major flaw in publishing untrue reports of research or medical journals, which lead to the public thinking that children with ADHD are irreparably “brain damaged”. Such reports are unethical, harmful towards children and adults with ADHD and untrue. In my opinion, medication should be accompanied by education, behavioral therapies which address developing better coping skills, and teacher coaching.
Conversely, through media coverage, the public is able to access sufficient information from the internet conveniently. Firstly, SPARK has a wide base of resources and assistance for parents and teachers. The site is constantly updated and the ADHD handbook is comprehensive by providing the basic information and tips for the public to perceive ADHD in a positive way. On the educational level, there is schoolbag.sg in releasing latest education news from primary to tertiary level. In a particular article contributed by a primary school counselor, she talks about dealing a child with ADHD in a mainstream classroom, accompanied by photos of his works. She related how challenging it was to assist him. She emphasized that by managing the child, she uses rewards system, positive reinforcement and lots of love. Such article motivates and encourages both teachers and parents that help is at hand and no one is left alone.
http://www.schoolbag.sg/archives/2008/04/a_helping_hand_for_a_child_wit.php
Hu Huazhen Dawn Group B
In some cases, media has depicted ADHD with a certain level of negativity. Although media was able to raise awareness about ADHD, there has been some inaccuracies about its reports. For examply, the rate of boys suffering from ADHD being higher than girls and the use of medications to control ADHD.
By promoting the use of medication for ADHD, the media is portraying ADHD as a disease, not a condition.
Obviously, through what i have learnt in this module, i do not agree with these reports. There other ways to deal with ADHD, like behavioral therapy instead of relying solely on medications.
When parents start using medications to deal with their child with ADHD, parents will tend to push all the responsibility of caring for their child to relying on the medications. It is only a temporary solution and it does not augur well. The child may end up being too reliant on the medications, along with the side effects that comes with the medications.
I believe that patience and care are the main ingredients for working with children with ADHD, unlike portrayed by the media. Medications should only be used as a very last resort or when the child has a severe case of ADHD.
Nur Fazelah (Ella)
Group B
Wikipedia suggested that “media influence or media effects refer to… the ways the mass media affect how their audiences think and behave”. I feel that the crucial point in media influence is the authenticity extent (accuracy) of what is shown. To people who do not have prior knowledge, before they even learn what it ADHD about, the term Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder probably already suggested that the child is ‘difficult to handle’, ‘active’, ‘naughty’, ‘doesn’t follow instructions’. To improve or worsen these similar kinds of perceptions, the media plays a vital role since it reaches out to almost everyone.
As I was browsing through some related articles and documentaries about ADHD, I realized that a lot of the focus has been placed on medication. As mentioned during the lecture on ADHD, medication should not be the sole treatment to improve the condition and these medications have proven to have negative effects if too heavily depended on. On the other hand, by educating the general public of ADHD in positive light, individuals with ADHD may be better understood and accepted.
Media Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/medicatedchild/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/09/20/the-tragic-consequences-of-drugging-our-children.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_influence
Ng Shi Yun Gladys
Group A
Media has become a very influential and powerful tool that is highly accessible for the public. Recently there are series of documentary on channel 8 showing on parenting style. The program films a family with a child with ADHD. During the interview with the parents, they mentioned about the struggle they have in controlling their child. However they did not make use of our local intervention services. This left a very negative impact for the audience as they will feel that people with ADHD has no help or are incurable. Also people might tend to stereotype people with ADHD has ‘abnormal’. These social stigmas are prominently reflected in my working experience with parents of an ADHD child. During our conversation, she always mentioned that she is extremely worn out and uses the excuse that ‘because my child is ADHD.’ She would be scolding her child in font of parents and teachers. Even though she knows that her child is causing a lot of inconvenience to the children and parents, she still refuses to bring her child for intervention. Parents and children cannot help but to stereotype the child and in turn the ADHD child suffers.
If media is so powerful, I believe that many people can receive positive information of children with ADHD. However I feel that sometimes the media choose to more negative side of things, so as to raise more commotion and gain audience’s attention. Obviously this indirectly tells me they do not know the severity of the implication to the child suffering form ADHD. Therefore we have to aware and cautious about the information we receive online. However for most of the working public, they might not be equally aware of the danger imposed in such media. Often I feel that the media is like a whirlpool, it tends to lead the public into one thing after another. For instances, if the Internet mentions the negative implication of ADHD, next you will see the medication for ADHD. This is when more implications and problems arise. Like many of the site URL that some of you posted, I believe that many of them are negative views and myth of ADHD. Hence we got to be very selective and do our part in educating people around us. Not just about ADHD, but also about selecting the write Internet sources to digest. There is always a fine line between people’s assumption /perception and factual information.
Tiffany
According to a website called ADHD family tree, “ Hollywood feature films like Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise and Cuba Gooding; Erin Brockovich, starring Julia Roberts; Pushing Tin, starring John Cusack, Angelina Jolie, and Billy Bob Thornton; and Good Morning, Vietnam, starring Robin Williams depicts ADHD characters in a more positive way.
The website also states, “in each of these films, a symptom of ADHD that is often viewed from the "deficit model" is transformed by the hero into “strength".
I agree with agree with sources of this content as having watched most of these films before, they managed to make people stop and think of the possibilities of people with ADHD can do. These films also direct the misconception of people with ADHD to be disruptive and difficult to handle. Some of these films are also based on true life stories. An example of a film would be Erin Brockovich. This film depicts an active woman who amongst others dares to change the system for the benefit of the community. In fact because of her active lifestyle she was able to uncover the truth about the water system in the infested community.
Despite that the media also depicts the most famous type of some companies use the media to over promote drug use for children with ADHD. A company called Norvartis was filed a law suit by a Dallas firm because of not revealing the side effects of Ritalin. (The Wall Street Journal, May 15, 2000).
According to Joe Huber, “legislators are playing a more active role in preventing schools from recommending that parents place their children on medication.Minnesota was the first (H.F.478, July 1,2000). Connecticut goes one step further by prohibiting any school staff member from discussing drug treatments with a parent to assure that such discussions occur only with a family's doctor (Public Act No. 01-124, June 28, 2001)”.
I agree that there are companies who misuse the media for promoting Ritalin to the community. Although that, I feel that in recent years people begin to learn more about effects of Ritalin. In an episode from the Oprah shows, she invites people to share stories about their child with ADHD and thus brought awareness to people upon the consequences of relying on medication only. Furthermore, a specialist in special education as well as parents from the show shares that the treatment for ADHD is different for everyone. By that, people have to seek alternatives and strategies to cope with ADHD.
http://webhost.bridgew.edu/jhuber/readings/ritalin_and_adhd_recent_developments.html
Surya Tewi
Group B
Jasmine Chua (Group A)
The exposure ADHD has gained due to media and internet coverage has greatly increased over the recent years due to the concern that more children are diagnosed with this disability. Much light has been shed on the causes, effects, symptoms, etc, that children or adults with ADHD may demonstrate. Information about ADHD is widespread across the internet and people have access to these sites through just a click of a mouse. Information such as how ADHD is a neurobehavioural disorder and umbrella terms such as hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattentiveness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2005), circulate around for interested readers and most of the time, parents to refer to.
However, not all the information stated on websites may be as reliable as others. This is in particular, in regards to the area that addresses treatment of ADHD. Some sites may even lead parents into misconceptions that all children diagnosed with ADHD need medication. An example would be a site which even promoted the use of Ritalin by campaigning:
If your child has diabetes, you give him insulin.
So why not Ritalin to your child with ADHD?
Such statements recommend the use of drugs to curb hyperactivity. However, is the information right? As according to studies, there are other means of treatment for ADHD besides medication. People should also be aware that there may also be other underlying reasons for certain websites to advocate certain types of treatment. In the case mentioned above, the site was well funded by a pharmaceutical, which may be a contributing factor for the reason of promoting drug usage.
Hence, this shows a great contradictory on how much you could really trust sources from the internet or media. Influences for external factors such as their funders, may greatly affect the information stated. Information can be used from the net, but only from trust worthy sources. It would also be safer to approach specialists that qualify in treating ADHD. Everyone, including parents should realised, every child is different and so will the treatment methods.
Case Study #12 (toby)
3. I feel that Toby should be place in the inclusive mainstream classroom. However, language therapist should be in the classroom with the child at all times. Another way that Toby can benefit from what he has learnt is to be in the inclusive mainstream as well as in the special school. According to the case study, we can see that the teacher, Mrs. McDonald, tried her best in helping Toby to read and there are signs of improvement as the weeks go by. Despite the improvement, the teacher still thinks that Toby have much more problems and needed help. Therefore, I believe that Toby will be able to cope in a inclusive mainstream classroom with the help of others.
5. I think that Mrs. Ridge will first have to find out more about the behavior of the child in class from the teacher, Mrs. Donald. After knowing what was going on, Mrs. Ridge will then have to explain to Mrs. Donald what the disability is all about. Next, Mrs. Ridge and Mrs. Donald will sit down to discuss and plan some goals and expectations for Toby and these goals must be high but achievable. Lastly, both the teachers will then have to make necessary changes to help the Toby to achieve these goals and expectations.
6. To help Toby transit from a regular class to her class, we can actually increase the amount of individual time Toby will have with Mrs. Ridge, who will be helping him in his language problems. However, Toby should also be given sometime to spend with his classmates despite the long hours in Mrs. Ridge’s class. In this way, Toby will be still in contact with people in the regular classroom.
I personally feel that the teacher will first list down how Toby’s classmates feel about him without the presence of Toby; be it positive or negative. After that, the teacher will then explain that Toby is special and due to the disability that he is having, it causes him to do the negative things that his peers have listed at the beginning. In this way, the children in Toby’s class will soon understand Toby even better and hopefully, include him into the class.
Charlotte Teo (Group B)
According to http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.gamache/adhd_in_the_media
In a critique of Winnie the Pooh and his pals, Sarah Shea et. al. breakdown the cast of characters and define what disorders they each suffer from. Of all the characters, guess which one gets diagnosed with ADHD. That's right, Winnie the Pooh himself suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This is shown by his common inattentiveness.
It is then suggested that Pooh might be better off with some low level stimulants. With some structure and methylphenidate, Pooh could potentially make and recall more poems. The rest of the analysis of Pooh's behavior leads to him also being classified as obsessive-compulsive and a high risk for Tourette's syndrome.
According to http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=16128
The Media and ADHD
Two years ago, a survey of 30,000 children in Virginia found that seventeen percent of fifth grade white boys were taking medications for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Over the past year, several lawsuits have been filed against Novartis, the manufacturers of Ritalin; CHADD, a support group for individuals with ADHD; and The American Psychiatric Association, claiming that the defendants have conspired together to create and promote the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder. In Albany, New York, a family court recently ruled that a couple must put their seven-year-old son back on Ritalin after the public schools accused the parents of child abuse for taking him off the medication. As these examples illustrate, considerable controversy surrounds both the proper diagnosis and the treatment of the disorder known as ADHD, a controversy that has been highlighted in recent years by increased media coverage.
From these two sources, I have learned more about how ADHD is being shown in media.
Hung Yirong (Jasmine)
Group A
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