Attention Deficit Disorder also known as Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is an organic brain or neurological disorder diagnosed in children during the early school years. It is most often diagnosed by a professional sometime between the ages of four and eight. Many children present in the early grades with learning issues or behavior issues that parents and teachers seek to address by finding out if the child has ADHD or another common type of learning disability.
Professionals are not sure what the root causes of ADHD are in children. Most think the condition is a combination of genetics, environment and diet. It is estimated that u percent of children with ADHD come from families with a genetic predisposition to the disorder. Some believe that exposure to highly processed foods during pregnancy or even second hand smoke may be responsible for some case of ADHD. Pre mature babies are at greater risk for ADHD than full term babies. Still the cause is far from clear and a fairly high percentage of male’s children will be diagnosed with ADHD during their early school years.
Most children with ADHD cannot perform simple tasks without becoming distracted. They also find it hard to transition between given tasks. Many open concept kindergartens with learning stations that a child is instructed to move from activity to activity will cause ADHD children to become very confused. Generally ADHD children do better in a highly structured learning environment.
ADHD children also appear to be more impulsive in their behavior. They may speak out of turn in class or get up and walk around the room when they are suppose to be sitting. They may become aggressive when they are frustrated or exacerbated by a task that they cannot focus on. An ADHD child may seem actually obsessed or hyper focused on a task; In general children with ADHD appear restless or hyper and may even appear to have a nervous tick. Many children with ADHD appear to daydream or to be forgetful when they are not focused on a specific task.
Most treatment for ADHD is a combination of behavioral and drug therapy. Older students can be taught skills that allow them to refocus themselves at the task at hand or remove themselves to an environment that they can concentrate on school work in. Teachers and parents need to create the environment where ADHD kids in younger grades can concentrate. Most ADHD kids are helped by teachers simply touching their shoulders or speaking their name to redirect them to the task at hand. Many students simply need a quite place to go when they become overwhelmed by the class room environment.
Many stimulant drugs have the opposite effect on children with ADHD. These drugs when administered correctly allow the child to have more ability to slow down and focus on the task at hand. Many times these drugs will appear to even help these children’s short term memory.
Most family physicians can direct you to testing to have your child screened for ADHD. You can also ask the school to screen your child for ADHD and other learning disabilities. The school will only screen your child for ADHD if they feel that it is interfering with the child’s learning. The school will be less likely to screen for ADHD if the problem is more behavioral than academic. Parents must be proactive to get most schools to accommodate ADHD issues for their students. It is so prevalent many schools do not feel the need to make accommodations for ADHD students apart from letting them take their prescriptions to the school nurse. Be proactive and look for advice from an expert recommended by your family physician.
Written by Becca1962
