Developmental Disorders are Artificial Products of the Society - Essay Example

?Developmental disorders such as Dyslexia and ADHD are artificial product of the society Introduction Development refers to advancement in a Human beings, alongside growth, undergo development in different characteristics such as in mental capacity and locomotive potentials. Such developments occur within a particular stage beyond which an individual maintains the achieved level. Development therefore majorly occurs during a person’s childhood and earlier years of a youth. Developmental disorders however impair the normal pace of degree of development in a person. This paper seeks to discuss the opinion that developmental disorders such as Dyslexia and ADHD are artificial product of the society. The paper will explore factors into development and prevalence of the disorders and the role that the society in the disorders’ prevalence. Developmental disorders Increasing number of studies in developmental disorders among children has established significant awareness in the society. Understanding the causes, control and treatment measures of the disorders would effectively empower the society to manage the disorders (Nhg, p. 1). The society remains oblivious of the disorders, casting doubt over its responsibility. As a result, children and even adults who suffer from developmental disorders have often been stigmatized instead of receiving support. Children with the disorders are for example despised for lack of capacity or even punished for failing to perform tasks. This means that the society has not risen to undertake necessary initiatives towards controlling or even managing developmental disorders (Firstsigns, p. 1). Developmental disorders, that identifies unsuccessful development in ability, relates to Piaget’s theory of change in children as they grow. The theory assumes that children’s potentials advance in definite capacities across a child’s life by age (Silverthorn, p. 1 of 4). The concept of psychological development is equally explained by Feud’s theory, which explains that a child’s impaired development at one stage hinders further developments in later stages of life (Stevenson, p. 1). One of the central factors in psychological development among children is their social environment. Parenting approach with respect to authority over children and the social family set up in which a child grows, and parents economic potential influence a child’s development. These factors, based on the research by Tiller et al, indicate that a child’s environment such as family set up affects cognitive development. These factors are artificial and can be controlled (Tiller et al., n.p). Erikson’s fundamentals of “epigenetic psychosexual stages” also suggest social and environmental impacts, through a person’s ego, as factors to “mental health” besides genetics (Davis, p. 1). Based on Ericson’s ideas, genetics is the fundamental factor in psychological disorders whose developments are influenced by social factors in a child’s life (Davis and Alan, p. 1). Dyslexia Dyslexia is one of the most commonly reported developmental disorders among children. It impairs a child’s capacity to “phonological awareness, verbal memory, and verbal processing speed” (Nhs, p. 1). The society’s role in the development or control of dyslexia can be understood from the disorder’s causes. This is because as responsible members of the society, people, especially parents, ought to take necessary measures to ensure that their children are free from the disorder. Identified causes of some types of dyslexia are particularly manageable with informed advice from health experts (Perlstein, p. 1). While “trauma dyslexia” can be prevented by ensuring a child’s physical safety in an environment, “primary dyslexia” may be probabilistically controlled through understanding of individual’s genetic composition before entering relationships into parenting. (Perlstein, p. 1). “Primary dyslexia,” is a hereditary problem. It is as a result transferred from parents to their offspring (Perlstein, p. 1). This means that a child’s chances of having the disorder depend on existence of the disorder in their lineage. Based on probability in genetics, existence of elements of the disorder in both parents’ genes, even if the genes are recessive increases a child’s chance of having dyslexia as compared to cases in which only one parent has related genes or none has. Determining a person’s genetic composition and knowing that of a potential partner before engagement into parenting therefore helps in reducing chances of dyslexia in children. Failure to undertake such tests therefore identifies the society’s contribution to the problem. Similarly, environmental factors, whether social or psychological, affects the extent of primary Dyslexia in a person (Davis and Alan, p. 1; Tiller et al., n.p). Though the cause is biological, the role of seeking the knowledge is not (Guardiola, p. 29, 30; Dyslexiacentre, p. 1). Though treatment has not been identified for the disorder, its identification at earlier stages of a child’s life leads to positive management results. This reduces symptoms of the disorder and the victim can lead normal life as though he or she never suffered from the complication. The adverse cases of dyslexia therefore means that they were not identified early enough for treatment or if the victim is still a young child, then no action has been taken to control the disorder. This also identifies the society’s role in development and persistence of the disorder’s symptoms. Dyslexia’s prevalence that changes a child’s mental capacity and its existence and degree can therefore be significantly controlled through protection of children from head injuries, and early detection of the disorder for control measures. This supports the opinion that adverse cases of the disorder is an artificial product of the society (Ncbi, p. 1; Schwartz, p. 1) ADHD ADHD, known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, refers to a set of behaviours that include “difficulty paying focus and paying attention, difficulty controlling behaviour, and hyperactivity” (Nihm, p. 1). Individuals with the disorder have difficulty concentrating, and often overreact to circumstances. As a result, the disorder changes the victims’ cognitive capacity and relation with other people due to hypersensitivity. Failure by the society to undertake its artificial roles in controlling the disorder identifies its responsibility in facilitating the disorder’s prevalence rate. Though hereditary factors are highly identified to cause the disorder, other environmental factors increase a child’s chances into the complications. Parents can for instance be blamed for choice of partners that increases their offspring’s chances into the disorder, especially if both parents have a genetic history of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Other factors that cause the disorder include “brain injury, nutrition, and the social environment” (National, p. 1). Exposing children to risks of sustaining head injuries is particularly an avenue towards increasing the disorder’s prevalence rate. Similarly, application of artificial food additives has been associated with the disorder. This means that human actions directly promote higher prevalence rates (National, p. 1; studentservices, p. 13). Expectant women are also potential instruments towards high risk of ADHD in infants. This is because whatever is consumed during pregnancy is absorbed into a foetus body and may cause impairments. Accumulation of toxic substances in an expectant mother’s body such as through drug abuse for example increases the child’s risks of suffering from ADHD (Attention, p. 1; Familydoctor, p. 1; American Academy, p. 2). Similarly, identification of the disorder at a child’s younger age, normally by five years of age, may help to treat the disorder. Different forms of therapy have also been proved to help in treating ADHD disorder. Parents, through educator role, can also help in suppressing the symptoms of the disorder. The disorder can also be controlled through socially modifying a victim’s environment. The society therefore has every necessary tool to either artificially prevent ADHD or to artificially treat it. Existence of the disorder therefore means that the society is playing a role in increasing the disorder’s prevalence among children (Children’s, p. n.p. ; Department of education, p. 9). Conclusion Developmental disorders are impairments that undermine a child’s cognitive and locomotive development. Several psychological theories that identify effects of environmental factors in controlling the prevalence of degree of the disorders indicate that widespread developmental disorders are a creation of the society. Though the disorders such as dyslexia and ADHD have biological causes in genetics, negligence over their control and treatment by the society identifies prevalence of the disorders as an artificial product of the society. The society is therefore largely, and artificially, responsible for failing to manage the developmental disorders. Works cited American Academy. “ADHD, Parents medication guide.” ParentsMedguide. N.d. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://www.parentsmedguide.org/ParentGuide_English.pdf > Attention. “Causes of ADHD.” Nhs. 19 May, 2010. Web. 10 May 2012. < http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/Pages/Causes.aspx > Children’s. “Attention Deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents fact sheet.” Children’s Mental Health Awareness. N.d. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-in-children-and-adolescents/adhd-in-children-and-adolescents.pdf > Department of education. “Identifying and treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” Department of Education. 2003. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://www2.ed.gov/teachers/needs/speced/adhd/adhd-resource-pt1.pdf > Doug, Davis, and Clifton, Alan. “Psychosocial theory: Erikson.” Haverford. N.d. Web. 11 May 2012 Dyslexiacentre. “About Dyslexia.” Canadian dyslexia centre. N.d. web. 10 May 2012. Familydoctor. “Attention-deficit hypersensitivity disorder.” American Academy of Family Physicians. September, 2010. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/diseases-conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd.html > Firstsigns. “other developmental and behavioral disorders.” First signs. 11 January, 2012. Web. 10 April, 2012. Guardiola, Javier. “The evolution of research on dyslexia.” University of Colorado. N.d. web. 10 May, 2012. National. “What causes ADHD?” National Institute of Mental Health. 23 January, 2009. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/what-causes-adhd.shtml > Ncbi. “Dyslexia.” A.D.A.M. Medical encyclopedia 10 December. 2010. Web. 10 May, 2012. Nhg. “Developmental disorders in children.” National health group. N.d. web. 10 May, 2012. Nhs. “Dyslexia.” NHS. 05/03/2010. Web. 10 May, 2012. Nihm. “Attention deficit hypersensitivity disorder (ADHD).” National Institute of Mental Health. 30 January, 2012. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/complete-index.shtml> Perlstein, David. “Dyslexia.” MedicineNet. 18 February, 2012. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://www.medicinenet.com/dyslexia/page5.htm#6whattype > Schwartz, Allan, PhD. “Dyslexia.” Mental healp. 12 March 2009. Web. 10 May, 2012. Silverthorn, Pam. “Jean Peaget’s theory of development.” Peaget’s Theory of Development. 2008. Web. 11 May, 2012. Stevenson, David. “Freud’s psychosexual stages of development.” Victorian Web. 2000. Web. 11 May, 2012. Studentservices. “Attention deficit hyperactive disorder.” Department of Health and Human services. N.d. Web. 10 May, 2012. < http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/Counseling/Files/NIMHadhdpub.pdf > Tiller, Amy, Garrison, Betsy, Block, Elizabeth, Cramer, Kathryn, and Tiller, Vicky. “The influence of parenting styles on children’s cognitive development.” Lousina State University. N.d. Web. 11 May, 2012. Read More