Five year old Danny is in kindergarten. It is playtime and he hops from chair to chair, swinging his arms and legs restlessly, and then begins to fiddle with the light switches, turning the lights on and off again to everyone's annoyance--all the while talking nonstop. When his teacher encourages him to join a group of other children busy in the playroom, Danny interrupts a game that was already in progress and takes over, causing the other children to complain of his bossiness and drift away to other activities. Even when Danny has the toys to himself, he fidgets aimlessly with them and seems unable to entertain himself quietly. To many, this may seem like a problem; and it is. Danny most likely suffers from what is called Attention Deficit Disorder.

Recent controversy has erupted as to whether Attention Deficit Disorder in fact deserves the title of "disorder." Some people, like Thomas Armstrong, a psychologist and educator, believe Attention Deficit Disorder is merely a myth; "...a dumping ground for a heterogeneous group of kids who are hyperactive or inattentive for a number of reasons including underlying anxiety, depression, and stresses in their families

, schools , and in our culture." (Armstrong 15) However, he and those who question the validity of Attention Deficit Disorder are mistaken. Attention Deficit Disorder is in fact a disorder because it is recognized as such in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition), it is treatable through prescription medication and therapy and if left untreated inhibits one from functioning properly in society.

For those not comfortable with drug therapy there are other means of treating ADD, such as behavior therapy. This is especially effective for children. For example, children with ADD need structure and routine. They should be helped to make schedules and break assignments down into small tasks to be performed one at a time. It may be necessary to ask them repeatedly what they have just done, how they might have acted differently, and why others react as they do. Especially when young, these children often respond well to strict application of clear and consistent rules. In school, they may be helped by close monitoring, quiet study areas, short study periods broken by activity (including permission to leave the classroom occasionally), and brief directions often repeated. They can be taught how to use flashcards, outlines, and underlining. Timed tests should be avoided as much as possible. Other children in the classroom may show more tolerance if the problem is explained to !

Before delving into the ways in which Attention Deficit Disorder matches the criteria established for what a disorder is, it is important to first understand the disorder and have some background information on it. The symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD for short) exist on a continuum. Everybody has some of these symptoms some of the time. However, individuals with ADD have more of these symptoms more of the time and to the point that it interferes with their ability to function normally in academics, work and social settings, and to reach their potential.

It is the validity of the diagnosis of ADD which has sparked recent controversy. According to Richard Bromfield, Ph.D., a psychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School:

A thorough evaluation includes gathering information from a variety of sources. A thorough review of the person's medical, academic and family history is essential. In the case of a child this is done through a detailed, structured interview with the parents. Behavior rating scales should be filled out by parents and teachers to provide information on types and severity of ADD symptoms at home and at school, as well as types and severity of other emotional or behavior problems. Depression, anxiety and other emotional disorders are tested through a comprehensive psychological screening. Intellectual and achievement testing is used to help screen for and then assess learning problems, and areas of strength and greatest struggle.

His view illustrates the most controversial belief about Attention Deficit Disorder which is that it does not really exist and that children with the disorder are no different from their peers. There is also great controversy surrounding the stimulant most commonly used to treat ADD,

Eysenck, H.J. & Wakefield, J.A. & Friedman, A.F. (1983). Diagnosis and Clinical Assessment: The DSM-IV. Annual Review of Psychology, 34 167-193.

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Approximate Word count = 3066
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)