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Kelsey Gump
Mrs. Reites
ENC 2300
15 February 2010
Annotated Bibliography
“AHRQ and FDA to Collaborate in Largest Study Ever of Possible Heart Risks with ADHD
Medications.” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Press Release, September
2007. Web. 13 Feb. 2010. This is an article revealing a large new study that began just a
few years ago to find if there are any risks involved with the stimulant medications
provided to treat ADHD. At the time the article was written it was only known that these
medications increase heart rate and blood pressure, which is the given reasoning behind
their research. Further details are given about how the study will be conducted. No author
is provided, but the publisher is an agency under the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. This article could be used in confirming that even the government
recognizes that there could be adverse effects from the medications. I’d also like to use it
to look into any further news on this study now that a few years have gone by.
Berman, S. M., et al. "Potential Adverse Effects of Amphetamine Treatment on Brain and
Behavior: A Review." Molecular Psychiatry 14.2 (2009): 123-142. Academic Search
Complete. Web. 11 Feb. 2010. The collaborative authors of this article are all members of
their departments of psychiatry at various universities in California. The publisher is a
peer-reviewed scholarly journal, therefore I would say it is very accurate in its context.
The article covers all aspects of amphetamines (the base name for all of the treatment
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medications for ADHD) including its origins, its physical effects on the brain, and what
researchers have accumulated on its long-term effects as far as animal testing and human
research. I find this information to be extremely valuable for looking into what the effects
are or could be on the children taking them.
Chelonis, John J., et al. "Stimulant Medication Improves Recognition Memory in Children
Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder." Experimental and Clinical
Psychopharmacology 10.4 (2002): 400-407. PsycARTICLES. Web. 13 Feb. 2010. The
authors of this article are all researchers from the University of Arkansas. The article is a
publication of an experiment that was completed which demonstrated an improvement of
performance in recognition memory in kids on stimulant medication for ADHD.
Recognition memory, it explains, is directly related to attention span. In other words
children on medication are on a track towards normal. This experiment can be a good
supporting factor for those in favor of the medications.
Harel, Ephat H., and William D. Brown. "Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in
Elementary School Children in Rhode Island: Associated Psychological Factors and
Medications Used." Clinical Pediatrics 42.6 (2003): 497. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 11 Feb. 2010. Ephat Harel, a professor at Yale University, and William Brown,
M.D. in the Dept. of Pediatrics and Neurology at Brown University, conducted a survey
to study what environmental effects, including family situation, eating habits, success in
school etc., were influencing a child’s likelihood of being diagnosed and treated with
ADHD. This article was the publications of their results and conclusions. The article was
published in Clinical Pediatrics, a scholarly journal, in 2003. The article is insightful as
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to what community of children are being affected as well as what could be the true
underlying reasons for their instability for which merits an ADHD diagnosis.
Ingersoll, R. Elliot, Ann Bauer, and Laura Burns. “Children and Psychotropic Medication: What
Role Should Advocacy Counseling Play?(Practice & Theory).” Journal of Counseling
and Development 82.3 (2004): 337-43. General OneFile. Web. 21 Feb. 2010. R. Elliot
Ingersoll is an author of a few books regarding psychology and behavioral science. Not
much is to be said about his fellow authors, but this article is coming from a scholarly
journal and there are many sources referenced in the work. Subjects covered include
therapy vs. medication as well as the effects this issue is having politically and
economically. This is the first I’m coming across this information and I think it could be
very significant in future assignments.
Koch, Kathy. “Childhood Depression: Is it on the Rise?” CQ Researcher 9.26 (1999): 593-616.
CQ Researcher. Web. 11 Feb 2010. Kathy Koch has written a number of articles
touching on children with psychological disorders and the medications prescribed for
them. She manages to keep an unbiased article reflecting on both views of over-diagnosis
and cases of what happens when troubled kids go untreated. The article touches on many
different aspects including background and history, the current situation, what people are
doing, what can be done, and the pros and cons for both. With the extent of the coverage,
I would like to think that the author is very knowledgeable and the article accurate.
Although the focus is primarily on depression, there are some excerpts that I can find
most useful in the support for the need for treatment.
McMullan, Dawn. “Inside Your Child’s Brain.” D Magazine April 2007: 66-71. Wilson Web.
Web. 21 Feb. 2010. D Magazine is a magazine for Dallas, Texas and focuses on various
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topics usually related to this city. The author’s expertise on the topic is considerable
though, since she reveals that her own son has ADD. She brings information on
alternative methods of treatment that she herself has tried including research into why
they are less popular. Though, she does give consideration to the possible benefits of
medication. I like this article and I plan on using it for its information on alternative
treatments for ADHD.
Pelham, William E., et al. "A Comparison of Ritalin and Adderall: Efficacy and Time-course in
Children With Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder." Pediatrics 103.4 (1999): 805-6.
Academic Search Complete. Web. 13 Feb. 2010. Each of the authors included in the
writing of this experiment’s description are doctors or have PhDs, Masters, or Bachelors
in their field. The experiment undertaken was to see, between Ritalin and Adderall, which
ADHD medication was the most efficient. Results showed that, although both showed
improvement in the children using them, Adderall could perform just as well as Ritalin
with only half the dose. I thought this article would be beneficial in that in comparing the
two, extra information is given about both, such as their differing effects and usage.
Sahling, Daniel L. "Pediatric Bipolar Disorder: Underdiagnosed or Fiction?." Ethical Human
Psychology & Psychiatry 11.3 (2009): 215-228. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16
Feb. 2010. Daniel Sahling has a master’s from Columbia University. The article that he
writes about concerns a few explanations for what could be causing the recent spike in
Pediatric Bipolar Disorder. He addresses some that the opposing side offers such as
“PBD is now more recognizable” and changes in the diagnosis criteria. The idea that he
supports is that maybe the prescription medications themselves for ADHD are causing
the symptoms for PBD. I’d like to use the information and opinions that he provides for
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evidence against the various reasons proposed for why these psychological disorders
have suddenly become so popular.
Warner, Judith. We’ve Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication. New York:
Riverhead Books, 2010. Print. Judith Warner is a New York Times best-selling author.
Although the work is rather biased towards her opinion that this is a serious problem, she
is sure to reference each of her sources. As an overall summary of the book, she
addresses the issues of whether or not doctors are over-prescribing and what role the new
social aspects of the day are playing. The part of the parent on this topic is also touched
on. This book provides a plethora of information and opinions that I would like to use,
more specifically her views on society and the problem.