Rhetorical analysis of Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) website on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
It is factual that ADHD is a prevalent childhood disorder in the contemporary society. According to the website, ADHD is one of the psychiatric disorders which makes a child endure problems while paying attention or controlling their conduct when alone or with friends (Sistino et al, 2015). The parent can know the child is suffering from ADHD by symptoms such as daydreaming frequently, restless behavior, talking too much, extreme forgetting and child loneliness. These symptoms derive the three types of ADHD which include predominantly inattentive presentation, predominantly hyperactive-impulse presentation and combined presentation. Precisely, the possible risks that cause ADHD according to the scientists include premature birth, consumption of alcohol and smoking cigarettes during pregnancy, and brain injury among others. According to the CDC site, diagnosis of ADHD takes several steps which start with medical exam and check up for ADHD signs and symptoms (CDC, 2016). The treatment of the disorder involves both pharmacological treatment and behavior therapy at the childhood age (Derakhshanpoor et al, 2016). However, behavior therapy should come first prior to commencing medication. Therefore, citing from this article by CDC, this paper will focus on assessing the rhetorical tools used by the site to convey the intended information to the reader.
To start with, it is perceptible that CDC lays out the information regarding ADHD very clearly on the website making it easy for the general public to access information on the disorder. Being online, the information is accessible anytime from anywhere with an internet connection, which can help parents or other concerned parties gain valuable information on what steps to peruse next. The arrangement of the information on the page is systematic which promotes easy understanding of the topic. The webpage starts with introducing the disorder briefly, and then goes to signs and symptoms, types, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD. Therefore, brief and exact points on the disorder promote easy reading and understanding the points made by the author.
On the webpage the CDC uses pathos to appeal to people when listing different types of symptoms and sigs of the disorder. Anyone in the general public near a child may have some emotions regarding the child exhibiting some symptoms of ADHD. It can also give emotions to individuals living with the disorder exhibiting the highlighted symptoms. There are pictures of children playing and talking with a doctor on the website which gives the reader the perception that CDC would like to help your child get into good health. There are also videos of actual families talking about the journey of treating the disorder in their children which shows how effectively proper treatment can work.
CDC as the author of the article uses ethos by expressing the belief that ADHD is a very common disorder in the contemporary society that is resulted by some of the things that people do such as drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes during pregnancy (CDC, 2016). The helps the author convey the stake of the information which is based on the seriousness of the disorder to the life of a child.
On the other hand, as a way of persuading the reader, CDC uses facts such as 2 million out of 10 million children were diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 2- 5 years, as logos for the article. Additionally, the site uses pictures of the healthy children undergoing different types of therapies in order to persuade the reader that ADHD cannot be noticed through the general appearance of the child but rather through signs and symptoms. Additionally, these pictures are used to emphasize the importance of seeking treatment for the child.
There is solid logic behind the CDC creating this informative webpage on ADHD. You can get all the information you really need on this disorder in one place online that has the credibility of being published on a United Stated government website. It is to navigate the site to find treatments, get more education about ADHD and other recommendations. Professional concerns and perspectives are transparent this site. The webmaster of this webpage published this information in order to be available at all times for such disorders and help increase the quality of life to anyone suffering from them. The author is utilizing his professional perspective to convince the general public to be aware of ADHD.
In conclusion it is exhibited that the stake of the author is to exhibit the seriousness of ADHD on the life of the child through facts and verifications from scientists’ results on the disorder. In order to convey this stake effectively, CDC uses brief and precise points regarding ADHD in order to make it easy for the visitor of the site to read. Additionally, the site uses pictures that carry the intended information on ADHD. Thus, citing from the fact that the information is published online, CDC is guaranteed that it will reach the target audience effortlessly.
References
Sistino, J. J., Atz, A. M., Simpson, K. N., Ellis, C., Ikonomidis, J. S., & Bradley, S. M. (2015). The prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder following neonatal aortic arch repair. Cardiology In The Young, 25(4), 663-669. doi:10.1017/S1047951114000547
Derakhshanpoor, F., Khaki, S., Vakili, M. A., Shahini, N., & Saghebi, S. A. (2016). A survey of the relationship between mental health with parenting styles in mothers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Fundamentals of Mental Health, 18(3), 151-155.
CDC, (2016). Facts about ADHD. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html
