Help thinking of a topic for my thesis in the area of Special Education?

Question

I am having difficulty thinking of a topic for my masters. I am interested in the diagnosis of ADHD and how doctors give out medication as candy. I dunno, does anyone have any ideas or even about other things that I could possibly do? Thank you!

Answer 1

Hi.

How about does Autism really have a food cure?

Answer 2

You could do a bunch of stuff.

1) Is the ADHD medically misdiagnosed, i.e. neurological/biochemical vs. behavioral/social?

2) America's overreliance on prescription medication affecting younger and younger population (i.e. ADHD children)

3) Behavioral/strucutural supports not given a priority in many situations (Give them a pill, I don't want to teach them how to sit still)

4) Medication as a "miracle cure" because parents are uninformed (or unwilling, unable, etc.) about how to help their ADHD child without it

5) ADHD as a cop-out blanket diagnosis because the medical community has no real idea why the child is the way he/she is

6) Young children labeled ADHD because of parental demand

Another couple of things I thought of (I am a DAEP teacher):

-Special education students not receiving adequate behavioral structure and are allowed to "get away with things" because of the Sp.Ed designator & improper understanding of SpEd student needs (by teacher)

-Impact on rest of students by having moderate to severe SpEd students mainstreamed

-Social/emotional impact on SpEd student of being mainstreamed with peers, even though may be 3+ GLs behind academically

-Academic time lost for individual or class because of extroverted/disruptive ADHD (e.g. kid doing cartwheels in back of the classroom b/c he/she can't read more than a paragraph without going stir crazy)

Sorry for the length!

Answer 3

Special education law IDEA 'individuals with disabilities education act'

This is the basis for special ed. Without it there would be no special ed.

PLEASE put an emphasis on how public schools violate this FEDERAL law and are very corrupt with special ed.

This is a VERY SERIOUS ISSUE that is continually being swept under the rug.

HEre's some web sites to get info on this

www.wrightslaw.com

www.reedmartin.com

www.specialedlaw.blog.com

www.schwabas.org  (message board)

I would be glad to help you with this if you choose it! Email [e-mail]

Answer 4

Why are you asking this on YA...go talk you your academic advisor or other professors in your department.

I'm sorry to say, but both of your ideas have already been researched in-depth, so unless you can put a new spin on the topics I would suggest coming up with different topic areas.

Answer 5

Go to the local elementary school during the lunch period and see the kids all lined up in the hall with their glass of water and waiting for the secretary to hand out their pills. At the end of the day go to the after school daycare and see how the kids crash and burn when they are coming down from their daily high. Kids really are drugged now a days.

Answer 6

How about?  Something like - students (group of 10 students) diagnosed with ADHD (symptom inattention:  ADHD Inattentive) who use an ADHD medicine vs students (group of 10 students)  diagnosed with absence epilepsy (symptom inattention: petit mal/absence) who use an epilepsy medicine:  which group gets the best grades?  Good luck.