It is
amazing to me how many kids in schools have been given the label, ADHD. Many times if a child is active,
inattentive, or impulsive, they are labeled as having ADHD. You here teachers
say “Oh, you know, he has ADHD,” or “He didn’t take his ADHD meds today.” I too have been guilty of “labeling” a child who is overtly active as
ADHD. I fell it was important in my
early Blogs to address what ADHD is.
ADHD stands for Attention deficit hyper activity disorder. According to research it is found in About 3 million children and
about 5 million school age children. The numbers are steadily
increasing……SCARY! There are 3 types-ADHD, predominantly inattentive type, ADHD, predominantly
hyperactive-impulsive type and ADHD, combined type. ADHD is a genetic
neurological disorder . After meeting the parents it often times has you
thinking “The apple didn’t fall far
from the tree”. There are so many characteristics of what “we” think ADHD is. Below is a list of category. Because there's no test that can determine the presence of ADHD, a diagnosis
depends on a complete evaluation. Many children and adolescents diagnosed with
ADHD are evaluated and treated by primary care doctors including pediatricians
and family practitioners, but your child may also be referred to one of several
different specialists (psychiatrists, psychologists, neurologists) especially
when the diagnosis is in doubt, or if there are other concerns, such as
Tourette syndrome, a learning disability, anxiety, or depression.
ADHD has biological origins that aren't yet clearly
understood. No single cause has been identified. One of the difficulties in
diagnosing ADHD is that it's often found in conjunction with other problems.
These are called coexisting conditions, and about two thirds of kids with ADHD
have one. The most coexisting ones are Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and
Conduct Disorder (CD), Mood Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, and Learning Disabilities. If your child has
ADHD and a coexisting condition, the doctor will carefully consider that when
developing a treatment plan. Some treatments are better than others at
addressing specific combinations of symptoms.
So
to sum it up ADHD is not caused by poor parenting, too much sugar, or
vaccines. It is a genetic diagnosis
that alters a child’s life. So before
you go “labeling” kids, we need to be sensitive to their needs. In my upcoming Blogs, I will discuss
strategies that can be implemented into the classroom to alleviate
distraction. Please share your thoughts
on this topic.
I am providing a link to a cool slide show that explains
what ADHD really is. ENJOY!
You are right Leah, so many times I have labeled a child with ADHD and that not necessarily be the problem. I would bet half of my class is labeled ADHD either through the parent or their pediatrician. I have NEVER had that many students with that label at one time. But I have one particular child who fits your description head on. On the first day of school, I turn from the class to the board (all of 3 seconds). When I turn back this child is scooting across the floor on his behind. When questioned about his actions, he looks at me like he honestly had no idea why he was on the floor. And Leah, I believe he didn't know why he was doing what he was doing. Having this child in my class helps me to see that true ADHD is something they cannot help.
ReplyDeleteLeah, you have hit the nail on the head. Many teachers do label children with a lot of energy as having ADHD. I have even heard parents at ball games saying they were going to get their child put on meds to control his or her hyperactivity. The parents suggested putting the child on medicine. I know several children in my school who really needs the medication, but have not received it yet because the parents do not want their child medicated at school, but will give them medicine when they get home. (I have been told by some parents, this helps the child to sleep.) That is so wrong!!!
ReplyDeleteADHD has so many coexisting symptons, that sometimes doctors really do not know if the student really has ADHD or some other disorder. Since I have been working with special needs children, I have seen all the coexisting conditions, along with schizophrenic disorders, with multiple personalities. Now you talk about a child having problems, but this is a child who has 5 different personalities along with being labeled ADHD and Autistic. It is a shame that we cannot help these children understand what is going on. They try to interact with other class members, but at times they just lose it. Their meltdowns are so severe that at times their parents cannot reach them. You just have to hold on to them and show them that you love them. It is so frustrating to watch them when they try to hit their head against the wall or hit themselves because their different personalities are telling them that they have been bad. You just do not know what to do with them sometimes. Anything can trigger a meltdown with this child.
I am really looking forward to your future blogs. I know I will learn alot about ADHD. Hopefully it will help me to see what my special education students need to achieve a good education. I really enjoyed the slideshow. I saw this going on in the classroom today.