ADHD Upon shadowing a fourth grade teacher at Deer Ridge Elementary School, I decided to talk with her about the students in her classroom. Mrs. Riley first set the scene of the school for me by stating that it was in the southwest suburban area of Fort Wayne, Indiana, and this particular school was not hurting for money. She then began to explain the different children in her classroom. There were twenty-eight students from a variety of different backgrounds. There were also two students
a survey of 30,000 children in Virginia found that seventeen percent of fifth grade white boys were taking medications for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (10). Over the past year, several lawsuits have been filed against Novartis, the manufacturers of Ritalin; CHADD, a support group for individuals with ADHD; and The American Psychiatric Association, claiming that the defendants have conspired together to create and promote the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder(8). In
ADD and ADHD Although American culture has changed over the years, parents today still want what is best for their children. Why then, are parents allowing their children to be put on medications that may have an adverse effect on their children? Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) have increasingly been diagnosed among young children today. Parents should become more informed about the over diagnosing, side effects, results of the medication and
ADHD in Females Grace is a second grader. She sits quietly with her hand folded in front of her and watches tv. She sees Dumbo and thinks of the stuffed elephant on her bed. She remembers her brother winning it for her at a carnival, where she got to ride a pony and eat cotton candy. A few minutes pass, and Grace has no idea what is happening around her or on the cartoon. She is not worried, because there really isn't a time that her mind is not wandering. Grace is a well mannered little
The purpose of this research was to describe and understand Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and the most effective treatment options that are available today. ADHD is a mental health disorder that affects 3-9% of the population in ways that, if left untreated, can wreak havoc on the mind of the sufferer. It makes concentration difficult, large tasks seem insurmountable, and causes impulsive and hyperactive tendencies. Fortunately, research and experiments have led to new and effective
Moving Beyond ADHD Friends are the family you choose. As a teenager, when it is hard to relate to your parents, friends become the day-to-day emotional support that everyone wants and needs. I suppose the search for a group of friends with whom you can share yourself completely is one of the "struggles of adolescence." Disabled or not, this can be one of the toughest struggles of young adulthood. Having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has always complicated this for me. The
ADHD Prescription Abuse at Northeastern Northeastern middler Gary Brown* reclines his small frame on a couch in his Mission Hill apartment. He looks like a patient on a psychiatrist's couch as he dictates his history of abuse with Ritalin and Adderall. “I started going to concerts with a friend who had a prescription and whose nickname was Bradderall,” Brown said. Ritalin and Adderall are prescription drugs commonly used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Brown
Understanding ADD and ADHD First, it is important to understand ADD and ADHD and how they can be identified. Within the classroom, a teacher may encounter a student who constantly squirms in their seat, stares out the window, and has a desk that is a complete mess. These are not poor students who do not care about school and learning. Often these students may be undiagnosed cases of Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These students can often be disruptive
Lost in Translation, both from Today’s Parent magazine, I have learned many new things. I learned that it is sometimes not very easy to pick out a child with ADHD, even if it is your own child. It could take years to discover that a child has ADHD. It can be easily detected once the child has entered elementary school. One of the signs of ADHD is falling behind in school, or acting up and not being able to pay attention for long periods of time. This causes frustration for the child, the parents, teachers
Learning Disabilities: ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that can affect any person’s behavior and way of life. In their book, Special Education, J.Ysseldyke and B. Algozzine state that no area has experienced as much growth as learning disabilities. It is by far the largest of all special education categories. Enormous changes in the last century have changed the way society treats children with disabilities. Psychologist William Lee Heward affirms that in the
To understand Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD, you must first know the common signs. For teachers, it can be difficult to identify if a student is showing signs of ADHD or is simply misbehaving. The signs of ADHD can mislead anyone into believing that a child is ill-mannered, and it is easy to blame it on bad parenting. But as a teacher who really cares, it’s worth making the effort to understand the signs of ADHD so you can spot them in the classroom.
There are three important signs to determine if a child is suffering from ADHD. Hyperactivity is one of the first and most obvious signs that one can identify with ADHD. Constantly talking, moving when seated, fidgeting with any object in front of them, and frequently moving around in the classroom for no reason are some examples of hyperactive behavior. The next sign is impulsivity. Children appear to lack patience when waiting for their turn, may annoy someone by interrupting them, or say inappropriate things. They might also overreact to situations that challenge them emotionally. Inattention is one of the most difficult signs of ADHD to spot. It is a sign that teachers might easily skip and not notice. Inattention leads to a struggle to understand new concepts, difficulty in organizing tasks, an inability to concentrate on a given activity, trouble following directions, etc. Sometimes, you may notice a combination of all these signs together, making it clear that you need to take further action.
Children with ADHD have trouble concentrating on a specific task and the ability to self-regulate their behavior. They find it easier to focus on assignments or tasks if they are broken down into smaller subtasks. By breaking the instruction down into smaller subsets, students can actually understand and accomplish the task at intervals and concentrate more on the next task at hand.
Interested to know more about ADHD? Read our collection of essays and research papers on ADHD, both the condition as well helpful interventions, listed below: