Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Introduction 

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is an illness that impacts the development of a child. Children with ADHD have atypical behaviors and responses that often render them hypoactive or hyperactive (Sayal et al., 2018). They often have trouble focusing their attention on tasks or sitting still for extended periods. Mild to severe symptoms typically result in poor relations with the people surrounding them. According to the CDC website, the diagnosis of ADHD begins when a child shows signs of anxiety, insomnia, or depression. Through medical examination, which involves an assessment of ADHD symptoms in the child, there a wide range of corrective measures that can be taken. The CDC website provides extensive information on examinations, measures, and treatments that can be used to help children diagnosed with ADHD (CDC, 2021). This information is often presented in line with visual images that can be utilized to persuade its audience. The CDC website combines visual images and elements, ethos, pathos, and logos to facilitate increased understanding of the disorder. 

Description of the Image 

The image that seems most persuasive is the image that exists on the ADHD and school changes page (CDC, 2021). The image features an African American child sitting on a desk. The child is staring at a laptop while being surrounded by school stationery such as books and pens. The child seems to be intently looking at the screen of the laptop with one of his hands being firmly placed on the keyboard of the laptop. In the background, there seems to be a lot more stationery associated with school and learning. There are shelves and containers which appear to be full of stationery and essential texts. This image is located on a CDC page that attempts to provide parents with the information they need to help their children learn at home. This particular page presents resources to parents of children diagnosed with ADHD to help them with the changes that have been made to the learning environment as a result of the new COVID-19 restrictions. 

Visual Elements 

The CDC webpage uses its visual image to indicate that the information provided is associated with children. It easily establishes the assumption that it has something to do with a medical condition. The effective arrangement and organization of the texts within the webpage also support easy navigation of the audience across the site. It not only ensures that the information needed can be easily found but also promotes an understanding of the content provided to the audience. The use of text accompanied by visual images seems to emphasize the importance of the resources and the texts that are being provided. It also enables the reader to establish an emotional connection to the article and its application once the information provided has been effectively understood. The intended audience of the image selected seems to be parents that are focused or interested in the adaptation of their children diagnosed with ADHD to the new learning environments that they are faced with. 

Pathos 

Pathos refers to an appeal made to the emotions of an audience in order to evoke feelings. It is mainly applied as a method of convincing an audience concerning an argument by establishing an emotional response to the information being provided (Han et al., 2019). This visual applies ethos to appeal to the emotions of the audience by consolidating and emphasizing the need for increased educational support for children with ADHD. As the child stares intently at the laptop screen, the audience is able to have an understanding of the unique educational situation that this population has to face. By showing the child in a home-based learning environment, as opposed to the traditional learning environment, the reader is able to experience the agitation that this difference in environment presents. Additionally, on the "What is ADHD?" page, there is a picture of a young girl hugging her mother, which brings about a sense of happiness and satisfaction to the reader. 

Ethos 

Ethos is an appeal to ethics and is utilized as a way of convincing an audience through the credibility of the persuader (Han et al., 2019). The CDC establishes its authority on the subject by highlighting its role as an organization that focuses on diseases and conditions within the country. This appeals to the audience as it identifies itself as an organization that can be trusted. The article within the visual image is divided into several sections with fat sheets and other infographics that showcase the accuracy of the information provided. The visual image of the child being surrounded by learning materials also calls to the necessity of education for this population. Additionally, CDC informs the reader that the content source is the National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD), which is a credible agency under the Department of Health (HHS). Additionally, the CDC webpage indicates that the information was reviewed on January 26, 2021, meaning that the information is up-to-date and reliable. 

Logos 

The logic behind the need for the information provided is clearly indicated in the article. The detailed article establishes that as children with ADHD symptoms may have trouble concentrating, the change in environment can have a significant impact. The image of the boy is accompanied by the bold text “ADHD and School Changes: How to help children with ADHD with changes in schooling.” This bold text highlights the necessity for this kind of information. Additionally, the CDC applies logos by clearly listing all information about ADHD from the signs and symptoms to the treatment. With the information in chronological order, anyone can understand anything they need to know about the disease. Moreover, the CDC supports the information about the disease using credible and up-to-date references, statistics, and facts. For example, on the "Treatment" page, CDC cites a study from the Pediatrics Journal, which is peer-reviewed. Also, under "Symptoms," the CDC cites a book from the American Psychiatric Association about DSM-5. Therefore, by providing information about ADHD in a logical manner and supporting it with credible evidence, CDC is able to persuade readers that the information is believable. 

Conclusion 

Visual rhetoric is often critical for further emphasizing the need for the information being presented. In the article that addresses and presents resources that parents with children diagnosed with ADHD can use with school changes, the application of visual rhetoric is entirely visible. The image of the child at home, while accompanied by school materials, shows that there are school changes that these children will have to adapt to. Additionally, CDC uses ethos, logos, and pathos to capture the readers' emotions, create a sense of credibility, and provide logical information about ADHD. By applying these elements, people can further understand ADHD from its symptoms to treatment, thereby eliminating misconceptions about it. 

References 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2021). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) . https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/index.html . 

Han, H., Shin, S., Chung, N., & Koo, C. (2019). Which appeals (ethos, pathos, logos) are the most important for Airbnb users to booking?  International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31 (3), 1205-1223 . http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-12-2017-0784 

Sayal, K., Prasad, V., Daley, D., Ford, T., & Coghill, D. (2018). ADHD in children and young people: prevalence, care pathways, and service provision.  The Lancet Psychiatry ,  5 (2), 175-186.