The average American citizen assumes that because we are a wealthy nation, most children live in safe, healthy, and supportive environments. As was apparent from the lecture by Dr. Sites, this is not true. First, what was your reaction to the data you heard in class? Second, if you were running for political office what type of a platform might you have concerning child welfare issues and how would you convince the public to support your ideas.

The data Dr. Sites cited - in effect, that American policies are destroying women and children in poverty - are for some reason not surprising to the very cynical me. For the average America citizen, I think the data would be surprising retroactively - the sort of thing that people know, vaguely, is true, but do not actively process until it is pointed out to them. That idea goes hand-in-hand with the idea of campaigning for public office on a platform for child welfare issues.

The primary focus on a political campaign platform on children would be to improve child welfare - not Child Welfare, the organization set up by the government, but the abstract concept that every child should have the best environment possible. Dr. Sites cited data indicating that 25% of all children live in families below the poverty line, and ten percent of them live in "extreme" poverty. Getting a majority of the public behind me is simply an issue of raising public awareness of that fact, and having evidence to prove it. I believe an adequate foundation for the platform would be these facts.

My answer to this problem would be almost exactly what Dr. Sites recommended: a higher minimum wage, improved public education, and improved health care. A higher minimum wage not only helps to decrease poverty, and thus improve the well-being of the children living in poverty, but would also decrease several other negative factors correlated to low income, such as crime. If at all possible I would cite the examples of those places Dr. Sites mentioned as having enacted a similar law - if the data we heard were correct, and these places benefited from decreased crime and poverty rates without job loss, then the situation is ideal.

Naturally some people would still oppose this sort of plan for whatever reason. But, as Dr. Sites said, the cost of an increased minimum wage now is significantly less than the cost of all the programs necessary to repair the damage of poverty and its associated troubles. Less poverty means less crime, which means less expensive criminal justice and enforcement; less poverty means less child abuse or neglect, which in turn means less expensive Child Welfare divisions. A few simple numbers and projected expenditures should suffice to prove the point adequately, and as an added bonus the money saved could be spent in other places such as education, or returned to the people.

Having brought up Child Welfare, I would then proceed to address the controversies surrounding it. Dr. Sites mentioned several in the lecture. State intervention in family has always been a sticking point for several people. The criteria for an acceptable intervention, along with the connected problem of how to determine parental competency in such a diverse nation, can be vastly divisive topics which undermine the program. I would campaign towards establishing a clear set of circumstances in which intervention was acceptable, while being sure to include input from various cultural perspectives. A firm and reasonable list will improve public perception of the program and make its interventions seem more justified and palatable. It would also cut down on unnecessary public reports, while increasing reports of situations that do need to be addressed, allowing for reductions to be made to the current $15 billion budget allocated for investigations. In addition, an evaluation of current Child Welfare operations would be necessary.

However, in my opinion, the best solution to any Child Welfare controversies is to make the program completely unnecessary. Child Welfare is a solution to problems; the best way to deal with these problems is make sure they don't come up in the first place. As Dr. Sites said, poverty seems to have a greater impact on abuse and neglect than any other common factor; thus, the answer to addressing abuse and neglect is to address poverty. Again, this ties back into the program to reduce poverty.

The best way to address the issue of child welfare is not to attempt solve the problem, but to prevent it from occurring entirely. To that end, any political platform I might pursue would focus on reducing the circumstances that result in child welfare issues - and, as is evident, these changes would benefit both individuals and society as a whole.

What is ADHD?

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a pattern of behaviors which demonstrate a developmentally inappropriate level of inattention, impulsivity, or hyperactivity. Diagnosis relies on several criteria: six or more inattention and/or hyperactivity symptoms, the presence of impairment before seven years of age, impairment in two or more settings, and significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.

Wait, don't all children suffer from this?

Most definitely. Many parents are concerned that their child might be diagnosed incorrectly just for acting his or her age! The increased media coverage of this syndrome fuels the perception that many parents are using medication to stop normal child behavior and control their children.

How can I be sure my child really does or doesn't suffer from ADHD?

Many people wonder this, and it doesn't help that diagnostic criteria keep changing. However, your pediatrician's most valuable sources on which to base the diagnosis are you and your child's teacher. Pediatricians can't make diagnoses based on observations alone. They will assess your child in multiple settings to obtain a comprehensive and function idea of his or her impairment, but that isn't enough either - they need you, since you're around your child much more and can provide a much better look at your child's behavior. Your child's teacher is also a valuable resource, as teachers are generally familiar with how children act, and if your child is acting unusual. Other disorders are usually considered during a diagnosis as well.

How common is this syndrome?

Currently, about three to five percent of children are diagnosed with ADHD. Of these, boys are five times more likely to be diagnosed than females.

Wait, what happened to Attention Deficit Disorder?

ADHD has gone through a lot of name changes and terminology - it's been known in one form or another since the early 1900's. Originally it was called Minimal Brain Damage, reflecting how little we knew about what actually caused it. Once it was determined that the symptoms were not caused by brain damage, the name shifted to Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood, Hyperkinesis, or Hyperactivity in the 1960's. The presence of attention deficits and the occasional lack of hyperactivity led to another reclassification as Attention Deficit Disorder in the 1980's. From there, hyperactivity was brought back in and the disorder was renamed Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Finally, to show that attention deficits and hyperactivity were related, but could be present or not, the syndrome was finally renamed to its current name, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

What causes this disorder?

ADHD is not environmental disorder - in other words, nothing anyone does or doesn't do can "make" your child have ADHD. ADHD tends to run in families, in fact, along with Antisocial Personality Disorder, which could be considered an extension of ADHD into adult life. Alcoholism and mood disorders, two inherited traits, are also more present in families of children with ADHD, lending further weight to the idea that ADHD is an inherited or genetic flaw.

However, many environmental factors can contribute to ADHD - not its biological basis, but how much it affects the child's life. Children with ADHD tend to live in families undergoing economic hardship, marital difficulty, or stress in general. These environmental factors can all make ADHD worse.

But my child will grow out of this, right?

Maybe. Two-thirds of all children diagnosed with ADHD still meet the criteria for diagnosis into adolescence, and there is some concern that ADHD may become Antisocial Personality Disorder. The visible signs of ADHD do decrease, often convincing an ADHD-diagnosed person into thinking the disorder is gone when it is not. In addition to its persistence, an ADHD sufferer may experience difficulties in relationships, academics, and employment, and is more at-risk for substance abuse.

What can I do if my child has ADHD?

Currently, ADHD is treated with both medication and behavioral treatment. Parents are taught techniques and skills to help control the children's behavior - children with ADHD need more structure and clear expectations as to what is expected from them. Interventions must be made in school to ensure the child's disorder is accounted for. Most children receive medication of some form.

What medication will my child get?

Most children receive either Ritalin, Dexedrine, or Adderall, which together can help three-quarters of all children with ADHD. Many parents are worried about an under- or over-dose, which is possible with these drugs. In many cases, a child may not need as much medication to learn well as he or she does to behave well. These drugs also cause side-effects such as appetite suppression, irritability, and insomnia.

Ritalin has one major drawback: its effects peak in a couple of hours, and it can stop working as soon as three and a half hours after it's taken. New drugs, such as Concerta, are merely variants of existing drugs designed to solve this problem - Concerta, for example, is a time-release variant of Ritalin, meant to be effective much longer.

My school isn't being accommodating - they think I just made ADHD up! What can I do?

Let's hope it never comes up, but a student with ADHD may be entitled to free and equal accommodations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. ADHD is considered a disability under federal law. Accommodations can vary, but they can include preferential seating, cueing the student to remain on task, assigning a homework buddy, providing assignments or a syllabus in writing, breaking assignments into smaller segments, oral quizzes, tasks that involve movement, and many others.

Should I be worried?

Not particularly. ADHD is fairly easy to handle in general, although a definite issue. The availability of medication and the relatively frequent occurrence of ADHD make it easy to find literature, advice, or other sufferers. Children with ADHD may have extra problems to contend with in their youth, but they can grow up happy and successful just like any other child.