Attention Deficit Disorder

1. Attention Deficit Disorder Melissa Homakie, Sarah Keenan Haley Martin, Kristina Morris

2. Sarah Keenan Kristina Morris Haley Martin Melissa Homakie

3. ADD or ADHD? • “Official”clinical diagnosis is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD • ADD used as generic term for all typ0es of ADHD • Basically talking about the same thing, whether you say ADD or ADHD • ADD affects approximately 5% of children and adolescents and 2% or adults • Impacts about 2 students in every classroom across America

4. Definition ADD is a diagnostic label given to children and adults displaying certain characteristic behaviors over a period of time. The most common core features include: • Inattention/distractibility • Impulsivity • Hyperactivity • Boredom * • To meet diagnostic criteria: • Behaviors must continue for at least 6 months • Problems apparent before age of 7 • Impairment from symptoms present in 2 more more settings

5. Common Symptoms • Failing to give close attention to details or making careless mistakes • Difficulty sustaining attention to tasks • Does not seem to listen when spoken to directly • Failing to follow instructions carefully and completely • Losing or forgetting important things • Feeling restless- fidgeting with hands and feet or squirming • Running or climbing excessively • Talks excessively, blurts out answers • Difficulty awaiting turn * Nature and severity of symptoms varies widely between cases * 1/3 of those with ADD do not have hyperactivity component

6. Effects on Education • Classroom setting probably the worst possible setting for ADD children • Many distractions • Told to sit still and not talk • Need to pay attention to boring, repetitive worksheets, etc. • Need to keep on task until work is finished • Many students “hit a wall” • Continual struggles

7. How Do Students Deal With ADD? • Attention Deficit Disorder and Ritalin have become almost synonymous. (Dexedrine, Ritalin, and Cylert) • Children do not out grow ADD symptoms, so other methods of treating ADD besides medically must be used. • Maintain a healthy diet…encourage fruits and vegetables and eliminate caffeine and sweets. Get proper rest and exercise daily!

8. Skills to work on... • Teachers and parents need to deal with and work on improving children’s attention skills, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. • Effective reinforcement systems need to be found. • Stop and think before they answer or begin work. • Appropriate behavior modeled by adults. • Ear plugs!!!

9. Classroom Techniques for Students with ADD/ADHD… • General classroom teachers being faced with increasing responsibilities for students with ADD • At first, teachers are likely to feel burdened, overwhelmed and unconfident in tackling ADD • Many proactive steps teachers can take to help prevent the problem from becoming overwhelming.

10. Top 10 Ways to Alter a General Education Classroom in ways that Support the Strengths of Children with ADD!!!

11. # 10… Incorporate movement into classroom life, in the form of role play and other active curricular responses.

12. # 9… Arrange Classroom in a traditional row-seating pattern

13. # 8… Student with ADD should be positioned in the front row, where he/she is less likely to be distracted.

14. # 7… Remove child from potentially distracting areas, such as near windows or pencil sharpeners

15. # 6… Surround child with ADD with well-behaved, attentive classmates as desk neighbors.

16. # 5… Because children with ADD are often self-conscious about their need to take medication, provide children with a secure place to keep and take pills.

17. # 4… Teach students with ADD to break down assignments into smaller, less overwhelming components.

18. # 3… For over stimulated children, designate a stimuli reduced area of the room, where a child who is fidgety and overly aroused can complete his or her assigned task.

19. # 2… To address the hyperactive child’s reluctance to tackle fine-motor skills, create small interactive centers requiring fine muscle control (art center, map skills area) in the classroom setting.

20. # 1… View and treat the student with ADD as a whole person, and not a person with ADD, or an “ADDer” but a complete and unique individual.

21. Devin…

22. Devin at East Academy