Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are the most common types of childhood psychiatric problems in the contemporary world. There has been increasing cases of ADHD in children with poor academic performance or behavioral concerns like hyperactivity, oppositionality, intention, and impulsivity. Therefore, there is a need to establish effective diagnosis and treatment.In my opinion, there is no specific test that can be performed to diagnose ADHD. However, it is advisable noting that ADHD comprises of three subtypes which include primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive-impulsive and a combination of both primarily inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive (Santrock, 2017). Primarily inattentive includes factors such as poor organization, follow-through and distracted, while primarily hyperactive-impulsive comprised of factors such as fidgety, interrupts and overly active (Santrock, 2017). The best and most effective means to diagnose ADHD is a positive family history. Additionally, a physician attending to a patient with previous ADHD diagnosis should review the initial diagnostic process and access the current symptoms shown to establish the most effective treatment method to be used on the patient.
ADHD is a behavioral condition that is mostly manifested in children. Therefore, behavioral treatments are recommended for pre-school aged children, and can sometimes help the older people too (Santrock, 2017). Effective behavioral therapies include classroom management, peer interventions, and parent training (Santrock, 2017). On the other hand, medications are at times recommended for the older people as first-line therapy. Medical studies have established that psychostimulants such as dextroamphetamine and methylphenidate are the most effective medication for treating ADHD (Santrock, 2017). And from my experience, I dissent with the studies that support the notion that guanfacine, clonidine, and atomoxetine are an effective treatment for symptoms of ADHD because they have shown less effectiveness in treating this condition. A physician needs to take a record of blood pressure, mood, symptoms, weight, height, treatment adherence, and heart rate of an ADHD patient per follow-up visits.