Healthy Living

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Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder: What Is It?
©

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a challenge for any parent (parents) or teacher. ADHD is also referred to as ADD or Attention Deficit Disorder. Children with ADHD display signs to a short attention span. Those children with ADD only display short attention span bu they do not display signs of hyperactiveness.

Professionals who study children and disabilities suggest that ADD/ADHD affect roughly 15% of all children. ADD/ADHD is a neurological disorder. However, there is no test that a child can be given to determine ADD/ADHD. What the specialist does is to determine by observing the child’s behavior, noting the child’s parent’s and/or teacher’s descriptions of the child’s behavior. The following are behaviors specialists attempt to find:
 How often the child forgets or loses things
 If a children is unable to sit still
 If the child talks excessively (will just speaks out for any thing without thinking)
 Has a difficult time concentrating

When parents have a difficult time managing an ADD./ADHD child’s behavior,
many tend to employ a great deal of punishment strategies (usually corporal punishment), allow the child to do what he or she wants to do or abandon the child to others to provide care and direction. For educators though, teachers report that ADD/ADHD children do not learn information in the same manner as do other children. This is not to suggest that ADD/ADHD children have intellectual disabilities. What researchers and investigators generally find and report is that many ADD/ADHD children have been found to be gifted. Due to their behavioral disability, their giftedness is generally overshadowed by adverse behaviors. The challenge is for teachers to devise methods and ways to teach ADD/ADHD students and for parents to learn what they can do and how they can be supportive of teachers who work with their child.

Parents and teachers of ADD/ADHD children are suggested to learn alternative strategies for dealing with a said child’s disability. For parents and teachers, it is suggested:

 Do not criticize or discipline the child in front of others. Think of the negative responses the child receives from other adults and her/his peers. Rather than yell, scream, or raise voices at the child, try a low tone of voice. ADD/ADHD children generally need to be reminded of a given task often. It is important that a parent or teacher not become frustrated about a need to repeat information over and over.

 ADD/ADHD children need a great deal of praise. Studies conducted on ADD/ADHD children have found that it takes about ten positive comments to counteract one negative comment. Think of how many positive comments a child with ADD/ADHD would need during the course of a normal day. The same studies suggests that parents and/or teachers not wait until a task is completed, praise should be given for trying hard, asking for help , maintaining good order while in public or in class.

 If medications are used, that the dosage and time prescribed are followed. Medication for ADD/ADHD should given the child when prescribed in the amount prescribed. Any deviation from the child’s medication causes greater problems and may possibly be the primary cause of long term problems and may even cause injury to a child if the dosage is higher or lower.

 Ask questions and obtain information about ADD/ADHD. Parents should ask as many questions and search for as much information about ADD/ADHD as they feel necessary to learn about this disability and its affects on the child. Parents should never be intimidated as they attempt to learn about or seek help or services for a child with disability.

 Identify and join parent groups that deal with ADD/ADHD. By joining and participating in these groups, parents will be able to gain valuable information and insight about this disability, and the availability of services for their child, as well as continuing research finding about ADD/ADHD.

For teachers, it is suggested:

 Placing the ADD/ADHD student in an area of the class where there is the least amount of distraction. It is suggested that the ADD/ADHD student be placed away from windows, doors, aquaria and the like. The idea placement is to seat an ADD/ADHD student somewhere near the teacher so that he or she may be able to provide assistance to an ADD/ADHD child as well remove distractions.

 Break up the curriculum into smaller more workable lessons for the child. It has been found that ADD/ADHS children do not remember large chunks of information in short periods of time. Letting an ADD/ADHD child learn small amounts of information gives them confidence and an incentive to work through other tasks. Once a child completes a task, this is generally an indication that they are ready to advance on.

With patience and an understanding of ADD/ADHD, an ADD/ADHD child can
grow to be a responsible citizen and a contributing individual within her/his community.

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