ADHD – WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW?Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that manifests in some children
in the preschool and early school years. It is hard for these children to control their behavior and/or pay attention. Many children with ADHD – approximately 20 to 30 percent – also have a specific learning
disability. The principle characteristics of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. There are three subtypes of ADHD recognized by professionals. These are the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type (that does not show significant inattention); The predominantly inattentive type (that does not show significant hyperactive-impulsive behavior) sometimes called ADD; and the combined type (that displays both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms). Other disorders that sometimes accompany ADHD are Tourette Syndrome (affecting a very small proportion of people with ADHD); Oppositional Defiant Disorder (affecting as many as one-third to one-half of all children with ADHD); Conduct Disorder (about 20 to 40% of ADHD children); Anxiety and Depression; and Bipolar Disorder.
Signs and Symptoms
• Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes • May have poorly formed letters or words or messy writing • Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities • Does not follow through on instructions and fails to finish schoolwork or chores • Avoids or strongly dislikes tasks (such as schoolwork) that require sustained mental effort Forgetful in daily activities • Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities • Loses things necessary for tasks or activities (pencils, assignments, tools) • Shows difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly • Acts as if "driven by a motor" and cannot remain still • Blurts out answers to questions before the questions have been completed, often interrupts others
Strategies • Allow a child to change work sites frequently while completing homework or studying • Assign tasks involving movement such as passing out papers, running errands, watering plants • Use music as a tool for transitioning, song = task • Vary tone of voice: loud, soft, whisper • Stage assignments and divide work into smaller chunks with frequent breaks • Teach students to verbalize a plan before solving problems or undertaking a task • Permit a child to do something with hands while engaged in sustained listening: stress ball, worry stone, paper folding, clay • Use inconspicuous methods such as a physical cue to signal a child when she or he tunes out. • Provide opportunities for student to show divergent, creative, imaginary thinking and get peer recognition for originality. • Employ multi-sensory strategies when directions are given and lessons presented. • Provide a quiet area for activities like reading, answering comprehension questions. • Use books on tape Use books with large print and big spaces between lines. • Provide a copy of lecture notes. • Don't count spelling on history, science or other similar tests. • Allow alternative forms for book reports. • Allow the use of a laptop or other computer for in-class essays. • Use multi-sensory teaching methods. • Teach students to use logic rather than rote memory . • Present material in small units.