Considered as one of childhood's most common neurodevelopmental disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis has markedly increase in the past decade. Due to the burgeoning ADHD cases, discrimination in schools has also become a disconcerting issue.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is manifested by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. Often diagnosed by the time a child reaches adolescence, ADHD can't be cured but can be successfully managed.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Specific Disability Under Federal Civil Rights Law
Due to the increasing cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and the growing numbers of discrimination complaints in schools, ADHD is now considered as a "specific disability" under the federal civil rights law, Los Angeles Times reports. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education has recently issued guidelines against ADHD discrimination in schools.
Furthermore, the Department stressed that educational institutions should follow the existing civil rights law for students with ADHD and offer them the needed accommodations for learning. The guidelines came after several parental complaints, claiming their children were denied of access for the needed services and schools have failed to protect them from bullying and discrimination.
"Many... [teachers] are not familiar with this disorder," U.S. Department of Education assistant secretary for civil rights Catherine Lhamon wrote in the letter. "The failure to provide needed services to students with disabilities can result in serious social, emotional and educational harm."
The Alarming Long-Term Effects Of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Women
As Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder soared over the past 10 years, a recent study published in the journal Child: Care, Health And Development discovered some shocking findings about the long-term effects of childhood ADHD. According to Forbes, women were found to be more vulnerable to develop a mental health disorder later in life and have higher risks for suicide.
Since ADHD is commonly found in boys and men, the disorder's "crippling effects" on women are often underplayed. That's why Forbes revealed the four "surprising facts" regarding the long-term effects of ADHD on women including increased suicide risks, deteriorated mental health consequences, decreased quality of life and the increasing stigma and lack of attention in women.
Web-Based Technology To Improve Pediatric Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Care Outcomes
In other Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-related news, experts are reportedly getting some help from web-based technology to further improve the quality care for ADHD patients. Based on a multi-institutional research published on the journal Pediatrics, a new web-based software program has been reportedly assisting in reducing ADHD behavioral symptoms in children receiving care at community pediatric practices through "coordinating care and ensuring patients get the most effective ADHD medications," EurekAlert! noted.
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