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What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder that affects approximately 5% of the school age population. This disorder is often seen prior to two years of age, but it often becomes most disabling when the child enters school. The primary characteristics of ADHD students are inattentiveness, hyperactivity (restlessness), and impulsivity. Problems with inattentiveness are manifested in difficulties choosing the appropriate target for one's attention. Thus, ADHD students have trouble knowing what to pay attention to. They also experience difficulty in sustaining attention: maintaining concentration over time. Hyperactivity, or restlessness, describes the excess motor activity that is often manifested in the student being unable to sit still, playing with materials, or being "antsy." Impulsivity refers to the tendency of ADHD students to respond before thinking.
Associated behaviors include problems with compliance and response variability. ADHD students are often difficult to discipline and require a clearer understanding of consequences. Parents refer ADHD children most often because of compliance problems - they do not do what they are told. Response variability is the "consistently inconsistent" performance of ADHDs. They perform erratically - doing well one day and then poorly the next. This variability is seen in their behavior as well as their academic performance.
What about all the letters? - ADD, ADHD, ADD-H, ADD+H, etc... There has been quite a lot of confusion generated by the changing terminology used to describe these students. The currently accepted diagnostic label is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. There are three groups of students who fit under the ADHD classification. The first group includes those who display the characteristics of hyperactivity and impulsivity. This group is referred to as ADHD: Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type. The second group includes those who show the characteristics of inattentiveness, but not the hyperactivity and impulsivity. These students are called ADHD: Predominantly Inattentive Type. The third group includes those students who show all three primary characteristics of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattentiveness. These are referred to as ADHD: Combined Type.
Summarizing, we have:
ADHD: Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive
ADHD: Predominantly Inattentive
ADHD: Combined
The accurate diagnosis of ADHD depends on input from parents and teachers. While there is no specific psychological test for ADHD, tests do provide information on the student's attentiveness, memory, and planning abilities. These are often deficient in students with ADHD. The best method for diagnosing this disorder is a comprehensive assessment of a student's functioning which takes into account the observations of various people, family and developmental history, and test results.
The treatment of ADHD is multi-modal. This refers to the integration of medical, psychological and educational interventions. Medical treatment often includes the use of stimulant medication such as Ritalin, Adderall, or Concerta. Other medications are used depending on the presenting problems of the student. These medications have been shown to be highly effective in increasing attentiveness. The essential ingredient to the success of these medications is the sharing of information between the physician, teacher, and parent. Psychological treatment includes social skills training and anger/frustration management. Some ADHD students are helped by biofeedback, neurofeedback or cognitive training. The educational interventions for ADHD includes modifying the student's classroom environment, using multisensory learning materials, presenting information in a direct and clear fashion, and other curriculum modifications. One of the most effective interventions is the development of structured classroom procedures designed to increase specific behaviors essential to learning. |
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